The UK’s advertising regulator has banned environmental claims made by Nike, Superdry and Lacoste, ruling that the brands misled consumers by using the word ‘sustainable’ without providing sufficient evidence.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) reviewed paid Google ads from the three retailers that promoted ‘sustainable materials’, ‘sustainable style’ and ‘sustainable clothing’. Under the UK advertising code, environmental claims must be clear and supported by a ‘high level of substantiation’.
The ASA requested evidence from each company to justify the sustainability descriptions used in their ads.
Nike said its advert—featuring tennis polo shirts with the line ‘serve and ace with Nike… sustainable materials’—was intended to highlight the broader sustainability attributes of its product range. The brand stated that the claim referred to the use of recycled materials in some items sold on its platform. However, the ASA ruled that Nike had failed to clarify the basis of its claim and had not supplied adequate substantiation.
Superdry argued that its advert for a ‘wardrobe that combines style and sustainability’ would be understood by consumers to mean its garments were stylish, sustainable or both, rather than implying its entire collection was environmentally friendly. The regulator rejected this interpretation, saying the wording was ‘ambiguous and unclear’ and likely to lead shoppers to believe all Superdry products were sustainable. The ASA also found that the retailer had not provided evidence demonstrating its products caused ‘no detrimental environmental effect’.
Lacoste promoted its childrenswear line as ‘sustainable clothing’, telling the ASA it had worked for years to reduce the carbon footprint of its products. While acknowledging those efforts, the watchdog said the company had not supplied evidence showing the garments would have ‘no detrimental impact on the environment’.
All three adverts have been banned, with the ASA warning that future campaigns must include robust substantiation for any environmental claims. The rulings form part of the regulator’s wider clampdown on misleading green claims, aided by artificial intelligence tools used to detect potential breaches.
A Nike spokesperson said the company had cooperated with the investigation and ‘taken the necessary required actions’, adding that it remained committed to providing consumers with clear information to support informed purchasing decisions.
