Stand Earth, the non-profit organization, known for its rigorous stance on environmental issues, claims that Lululemon is engaged in greenwashing.
As reported by CBC, Canada's Competition Bureau has opened a formal investigation into Lululemon's environmental claims in its marketing campaigns, a spokesperson for the agency told CBC on Monday.
Greenwashing—a term that refers to the practice where companies make misleading claims about the environmental benefits of their products or practices to appear more eco-friendly than they actually are.
Stand.earth's complaint, filed with Canada's Competition Bureau, centers on Lululemon’s "Be Planet" marketing campaign. Launched in 2020, this campaign claims that Lululemon’s products and actions "avoid environmental harm and contribute to restoring a healthy planet."
However, Stand.earth argues that these claims starkly contrast with the reality of Lululemon's environmental impact. According to Stand.earth, since the launch of the campaign, Lululemon’s greenhouse gas emissions have notably doubled.
“lululemon has used its “Be Planet” campaign to mislead customers into believing the company is taking serious climate and “working to help create a healthier future” when in fact its climate emissions have skyrocketed and its leggings are still made in factories burning piles of coal for electricity.
Since it launched the "Be Planet" campaign and claimed that sustainability was one of its core pillars, its emissions have doubled. In 2022, its climate pollution was the equivalent of adding more than half a million cars to the road.”
- Stand.earth website, Stop lululemon’s greenwashing
This information is supported by Lululemon's own 2022 Impact Report. Furthermore, Stand.earth criticizes the company for using materials that are not effectively recyclable, do not biodegrade, and are known to release microplastics into oceans and waterways.
While Lululemon has not directly addressed the accusations tied to its marketing campaign, a spokesperson from the company highlighted their ongoing efforts towards sustainability. They mentioned investments aimed at meeting their 2030 climate goals and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
The seriousness of these allegations is amplified by Lululemon’s status as one of Canada’s largest companies and a market leader in apparel sales. If the Competition Bureau finds the marketing to be false and misleading, Stand.earth has requested that Lululemon remove the campaign from all forms of communication and issue a formal apology to its customers in Canada. Additionally, they suggest that Lululemon should pay a fine, which would contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in Canada.
