Viborg, Denmark – March 1, 2024
Today marks a landmark victory for environmentalists and animal welfare advocates as the Western High Court in Viborg ruled in favour of the Vegetarian Society of Denmark and The Climate Movement in their case against meat giant Danish Crown.
The court found Danish Crown, Europe’s largest pork producer, guilty of greenwashing in its ‘Climate-Controlled Pigs’ marketing campaign.
This is a significant victory for transparency in the food industry and consumer rights. The Danish Consumer Council (Forbrugerrådet Tænk) supported the case on the plaintiffs side while the large agricultural lobby organisation Landbrug & Fødevarer and Danish Industry (Dansk Industri) supported Danish Crown as bi-intervenients.
Rune-Christoffer Dragsdahl, General Secretary of the Vegetarian Society of Denmark, comments:
“Today’s verdict sends a resounding message, not only within Denmark but throughout Europe. It has been well known for more than 17 years that meat production, including pork, has a huge climate impact. However, around the world we still see large meat companies trying to greenwash by claiming that their products have certain ‘climate benefits’. It is important that we stop this greenwashing. With today’s verdict we have shown that legal action is a possibility and offers a pathway forward for green organisations from other countries who are fighting to hold meat companies accountable for their damage to the climate and the environment.”
The case centred around Danish Crown’s campaign “Danish pig is more climate-friendly than you think” and “climate-controlled pig.” Upon thorough review, it was determined that “climate-controlled pig” misrepresented the climate impact of pork production, contravening Section 5 of the Marketing Act.
The court found that the phrase “more climate-friendly than you think” was sufficiently documented, despite arguments from the Danish Consumer Council stating the opposite. Danish Crown argued in court that this statement should not be read as a claim that pork is climate friendly per se but rather “more climate friendly than other meat products”.
Despite assertions of climate-friendliness, the actual carbon footprint of pork production far exceeds that of plant-based alternatives underscoring the need for substantiated environmental claims in marketing. This legal battle garnered immense support from concerned citizens, with over 1,700 Danes contributing to the cause. As well as receiving strong backing from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administrations, who delivered evidence against Danish Crown’s claims.
Frederik Roland Sandby, spokesperson for The Climate Movement comments:
“It’s more likely that pigs can fly than pork production can be climate friendly so all eyes were on today’s verdict to ensure justice was served. Today’s victory is David vs Goliath in action, acting as a timely reminder to meat giants: no entity is above accountability. We hope this brings about a domino effect and helps to bolster more legal battles against greenwashing, demanding corporate integrity in sustainable practices and marketing. It’s high time we see responsibility, transparency and truth in the animal agriculture industry, which is a key driver of global emissions.”
The court’s decision is expected to have far-reaching effects, not only within Denmark but throughout Europe’s food industry. There is hope from the environmental sector that this precedent will spread to other countries, showing that there is a legal limit to meat companies’ greenwashing. This ruling comes just days after the announcement that New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against the world’s largest meat producer JBS due to profiting from misleading claims about its greenhouse gas emission goals.
According to the Climate Case database there are 20 climate litigation cases linked to greenwashing in the US and a further 56 cases globally on misleading marketing practices. Greenwash.com highlights various greenwashing cases across sectors with 62 listed in the food sector alone.