Nuevo’s Post

❗ Zalando to halt misleading green claims! ❗ Prompted by the European Commission, Zalando has now agreed to remove misleading environmental symbols from their website come mid-April. Instead, they will provide product-specific information, such as the percentage of recycled materials used. This comes after the EU has banned misleading environmental claims with its Empowering Consumers Directive. As a part of this, general statements such as "environmentally friendly", "sustainable", "responsible" and the like are a no-go unless your product is best-in-class and can prove it in a credible and verifiable manner. And just as important, those small symbols showing a leaf/earth/water drop (and so on) next to a product will be prohibited if they are not based on certification schemes or established by public authorities 🌍 💧 🍃 This is what is now affecting Zalando. We know concerns have been arising from companies selling their products through Zalando, one of Europe's largest online fashion retailers, over the coming EU directive. So we were extremely happy to see this new development today! Making sure that consumers actually know what they are buying instead of being mislead by perhaps well-intended but largely deceiving marketing is one step toward making a change for the better! 💪 Read more via the link in the comments. #ESG #CSR #EmpoweringConsumers #Zalando

Zalando is the latest company in the #greenwashing hot seat 🔥   Europe’s biggest online fashion retailer has committed to overhaul the sustainability claims it makes on its web sites after the EU qualified them as “misleading".   Under the proposed Green Claims Directive, companies such as Zalando have to communicate sustainability in a way that is precise, substantiated, and verified.     Otherwise - after the directive is implemented, companies may soon face confiscation of revenues and a fine of at least 4% of their annual turnover. 💸   For Zalando, the EU has given them a big no to: 👎 Vague use of the word "sustainable" on their website 👎 E.g. customers can search the "sustainable" collection 👎 Environmental icons displayed next to products, like a leaf or a tree 🌲   And that instead: 👍 Sustainability claims must be SPECIFIC e.g. "contains 15% recycled material" 👍 And these claims MUST be substantiated, for example by a lifecycle assessment that is documented and verified by a third-party   The Green Claims Directive is not yet enacted:   ➡ The next step is a Parliament plenary vote planned for March ➡ Before becoming law, the text needs to be approved by EU member states   Companies should not wait for Green Claims to be enforced, but change communication practices today to avoid negative press and build the trust of their customers. The greenwashing hot seat does not seem like a good place to be, if you ask me! 🔥 For more information, see: Summary of the case of Zalando: https://lnkd.in/dBk3QcyW https://lnkd.in/d7TU5fdX Press statement of potential fines: https://lnkd.in/dw7Qp5Xc #greenclaims #greenwashing #EUgreendeal #sustainability

💡The ban on misleading sustainability information is now a reality. Following discussions with the EU, Zalando will now remove sustainability flags and icons displayed next to products on its platform. These claims could mislead consumers about the environmental characteristics of the products. The copy will be replaced with facts and numbers. The company will need to: 🚩Remove the sustainability flag. 🍀Remove all misleading environmental icons🌳 🌱No longer use the term “sustainability” or any terms indicating an environmental benefit. 📉Provide clear information about the specific product, including numbers and facts. 🔍Remove the icons and the term ‘sustainability' from the filter. 👁️Revise the “Sustainability Page”. 🫵🏼Ensure that environmental claims are based on aspects significant for the environment. The EU has provided clarity on the necessary actions. The next step involves national authorities, responsible for enforcing EU consumer protection laws, to take appropriate measures. #eu #greenwashing #sustainability

Mixed feelings here as I was very excited to see Zalando commit to upping their game in this space back in 2020 particularly the push for all third party brands they sell to disclose environmental and social supply chain information (you might question the 'how' here but the vision and ambition was great to see). There absolutely needs to be a crack down on false or misleading sustainability related claims it's gone unchecked for far too long. But... we also need to be mindful that if not done in the right way this could result (as it is starting to) in brands keeping silent or worse rowing back completely on what they are doing. In the grand scheme of things so few brands are talking about sustainability to customers on any level and more need to do so - we need to make it easier for customers to buy more sustainably. Many will want to - but it's down to us as brands to make it as easy as possible for them (even more so in this climate where frankly price will be more front of mind than ever). For many the internal hurdles to clear before sustainability is communicated have always been high (competing with lots of other marketing messages - promos, newness, innovation etc). Sustainability is complicated and getting more so - and the more rigorous the claim needs to be, the harder it is likely to be to communicate. So while a crack down on green claims is absolutely important and necessary (there's some shockers out there) - how about instead of just coming up with codes and principles that say what you can't do and calling out missteps, let's start focusing on what you can do and celebrating and calling out what good looks like. https://lnkd.in/g3jvhrny via @climate #sustainability #greenclaims #greenhushing #greenwashing

Weekly circular updates you NEED to know📝👇 1. Shein reportedly ups prices Some of the Shein’s prices raised by as much as over a third of their original cost. The move comes ahead of a planned IPO for Shein, which could result in higher costs for the company being publicly listed. 2. Equip Outdoors Sustainability Report According to the new report, Equip achieved a 46.2 percent absolute reduction in CO2 emissions against its 2019 baseline. 3. Sainsbury cuts on plastic packaging Supermarket Sainsbury’s is replacing plastic trays across more than 40 of its fish and chicken trays, in a move that will reduce its annual plastic production by 694 tonnes. 4. Plastic packaging targets The US Plastics Pact, which convenes more than 70 large businesses, has delayed key sustainability targets from 2025 to 2030 after initial collective progress fell short of its initial aspirations. 5. Edinburgh bans advertising of high-carbon products Edinburgh has banned the promotion of fossil fuel-powered cars and exotic holidays on council-owned advertising spaces in a bid to boost efforts to decarbonise. Chat us up below. What do you think of recent news?

💥 What a turn of events at Zalando! 💥 Following guidance from the EU, Zalando is revamping their sustainability comms! By April 2024, Zalando pledges to offer precise details on the sustainability of their products, like the exact amount of recycled materials used! ☀ Gone are the days of vague "sustainable" labels without solid evidence. Zalando is moving towards full transparency, providing concrete environmental benefits for each item. This shift isn't just for Zalando; it's a signal to the entire business to uphold honesty in their eco-claims. 🤔 So, I'm curious: What specific information do you look for when evaluating the sustainability of a product? #EcoFashion #Sustainability #Zalando #EthicalShopping

In the recent #businessincubator we talked about #ESG #branding #greenwashing and #misleading consumers #greenwashing. I mentioned Zalando as an example, and I am posting the verdict, about what they were allowed to communicate and what they communicated, which was misleading consumers. Takeaways: ✎ Provide information about specific product characteristics, such as a percentage of a product that is derived from recycled materials, including recycled materials, including on the product detail page. ✎ Provide the ability to filter products by product attributes, including by one criterion. ✎ Revise the "sustainability page" and introduce two new web pages: One with more information about the product standards and one about Zalando's sustainability-related initiatives and strategies. Initiatives to have in mind and in consideration, when you want to communicate on how and what you contribute concerning the transition. Link to the press release: https://lnkd.in/dX29FuhY

🌐 Zalando Leads by Example in Sustainable Fashion: A Benchmark for Global Business Practices ? 🌿 In a significant development that underscores the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability, Zalando - a publicly traded German online retailer of shoes, fashion and beauty active across Europe - has announced a strategic overhaul of its environmental claims approach, setting a new standard for transparency in the fashion industry. This move comes in response to the European Union's rigorous investigation, spotlighting the critical need for authenticity in sustainability messaging. 🔍 Strategic Insights: The initiative aligns with the EU's ambitious Green Claims Directive, designed to eradicate greenwashing by ensuring that environmental claims are both clear and substantiated. With an estimated 75% of EU market products carrying environmental claims—half of which may be misleading—the directive marks a pivotal step toward integrity in corporate sustainability efforts. Zalando’s stated commitment to revising its sustainability claims, including the elimination of vague terminology and the enhancement of detailed sustainability disclosures, exemplifies a proactive approach to compliance and leadership within the industry. 📈 Business Implications and SDG Alignment: This development is not merely about regulatory alignment but signals a broader shift towards sustainable business models that prioritise long-term value creation over short-term gains. Zalando's initiative directly supports Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), specifically targeting enhanced consumer information for sustainable development (Target 12.8). 🌱 Opportunity for Australian Businesses: Zalando's pioneering stance presents a compelling case for Australian companies to reevaluate their sustainability narratives. In an era where consumers and investors are increasingly discerning about environmental claims, authenticity, and transparency, not only mitigate regulatory risks but also unlock competitive advantage and foster brand loyalty. 💡 A Call to Action: As global markets gravitate towards more stringent sustainability reporting and claims verification, Australian businesses stand at a crossroads. The choice is clear: evolve to meet these emerging standards or risk obsolescence in a world that demands more than mere lip service to sustainability. Read more: https://lnkd.in/edfg6RQN #Sustainability #Zalando #GreenClaimsDirective #SDGs #AustralianBusiness #GlobalStandards #CorporateResponsibility #SustainableDevelopment Tanya Plibersek ACCC

Following a dialogue with the Commission and national consumer authorities, Zalando has committed to removing misleading #sustainability flags and icons displayed next to products offered on its platform. Such claims can mislead consumers about the #environmental characteristics of the products. As from 15 April 2024, the icons will not appear anymore. Instead, clear information about products’ environmental benefits, such as the percentage of #recycled materials used, will be provided by Zalando. More specifically, #Zalando committed to: - Removing the initially used sustainability flag from all webpages. - Removing all #misleading environmental icons that were displayed next to products (such as a leaf or a tree). - No longer using the term “sustainability”, or other unjustified terms indicating an environmental and/or #ethical benefit. Zalando will provide clear information about the specific product, for example, a percentage figure of how much recycled material is used. - Removing the icons and the term ‘sustainability’ also from the filter and allowing consumers to filter and select products based on specific product qualities. - Providing clear and specific information on the product’s environmental and/or ethical benefit at the product detail page. - Revising the “Sustainability Page” by introducing two new webpages: one with more information on the product standards and one with information about Zalando’s sustainability-related approaches and #strategies. - Ensuring that Zalando’s environmental #claims are based on aspects which are significant for the #environment. Zalando will submit a report on the #implementation of the commitments. Based on this report, the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC) will assess how Zalando implemented the commitments , and where necessary, enforce compliance, for example, by imposing fines or removing content.

Three great businesses leading the way in making sustainable changes.