The Danish Consumer Ombudsman ruled earlier this year that Coca Cola’s marketing of its “Plant Bottle” is greenwashing. The ruling was based on the Danish and European Marketing Practices Act, which requires factual evidence to back up claims about environmental friendliness.

Kristian Jorgensen of the Danish NGO Forests of the World said,

“We are on the edge of a bio-based society where products and energy based on fossil fuels are replaced by plant-based technologies. It sounds good, but there are numerous examples of hugely negative environmental impacts linked with bio-based products. Therefore, the basic principle of being able to provide documentation for any environmental claims is vital, when companies engage themselves in green marketing – This is where Coca-Cola has failed completely.”

Despite the fact that there is no evidence that the “Plant Bottle” has any effect in reducing carbon emissions,  Coca Cola launched its “Plant Bottle” marketing campaign at the time of the 2009 Climate Summit in Copenhagen. It promoted the “Plant Bottle” at the London Olympics and other big events.

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