German court: Apple Watch's advertising misleads customers.

A court in the Frankfurt region of Germany has declared that the Apple Watch is not a CO₂-neutral product, stating that previous advertisements for the device were misleading to consumers.

An Apple Watch product from Apple - Photo: REUTERS

According to a statement issued on August 26th by a regional court in Frankfurt, Apple advertised the Apple Watch online as "our first _CO2 neutralizing product." However, the court concluded that this was an unfounded advertisement and violated German competition law.

A _CO2- neutral product is a product whose entire lifecycle—from raw material extraction, production, use, and disposal—does not increase the net amount of carbon dioxide ( _CO2 ) in the atmosphere. This is achieved by minimizing emissions and offsetting unavoidable emissions through support of certified climate projects.

Companies determine whether their products are _CO2- neutral by conducting "lifecycle assessments," improving energy efficiency including renewable energy, offsetting residual emissions, or purchasing carbon credits.

Apple's carbon neutrality claims are based on a project it's undertaking in Paraguay to offset emissions by planting eucalyptus trees. However, a group of environmental activists has filed a lawsuit against Apple for its advertising of the Apple Watch.

They argue that monoculture eucalyptus cultivation harms biodiversity and requires large amounts of water, leading to its nickname as the "green desert".

The Frankfurt court also stated that 75% of the eucalyptus plantation lease contract signed by Apple was not guaranteed beyond 2029, and the company could not guarantee that the contract would be renewed. "There is no certain future for the continuation of the reforestation project," the court argued.

An Apple spokesperson said the Frankfurt regional court ruling "generally supports Apple's rigorous approach to carbon neutrality" and declined to comment on whether the company would appeal the ruling.

However, Apple says it will remove the " _CO2 neutral" label it uses for the Apple Watch to comply with EU regulations expected to take effect in September 2026. In June, Apple argued that the lawsuit in Germany threatened to "undermine the credible corporate climate action the world needs."

Besides Apple, Meta and Microsoft have also invested in similar reforestation projects in Latin America in exchange for carbon credits.

DUY LINH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/toa-duc-apple-watch-quang-cao-lua-doi-khach-hang-20250826203301742.htm