Authorities crack down on oil supplier for deceiving consumers: 'Categorically misleading'

An advertisement for a French oil and gas company has been banned after the company was accused of deceiving consumers about its environmental impact — a practice known as greenwashing.

TotalEnergies posted an advertisement on the social platform X that focused on the company's renewable wind energy projects, according to The Standard. However, a campaign group pointed out an issue. Adfree Cities said the ad made no mention that operations for TotalEnergies mostly involve fossil fuels.

In response, TotalEnergies claimed it didn't include more context due to character limits on X, but the company's website covered all the necessary information. The Advertising Standards Authority ultimately ruled that the lack of information about the business model would likely mislead customers.

Another oil and gas company, Shell, recently faced similar complaints about a television advertisement. However, the ASA ruled differently in that case. It said Shell was transparent about its investments in oil and gas. Adfree Cities called the decision an endorsement of greenwashing.

"Any advert that portrays Shell as prioritizing the environment in any way is categorically misleading while the oil major continues to expand its fossil fuel operations, directly undermining a clean energy transition," Adfree Cities Co-Director Veronica Wignall said.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, human activities are responsible for nearly all the heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere over the last century and a half. Burning, mining, and drilling fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas creates dirty energy that contributes to the overheating of the planet.

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Exposure to air pollution from dirty energy sources can also be harmful to human health. Per the World Health Organization, air pollution can affect almost every organ in the body — another reason why transparency about environmental practices is vital for consumers.

An increasing number of companies are being accused of making deceptive claims related to the environment, such as Santos. In a landmark case, the oil and gas giant was accused of making empty promises about its plan to reduce environmental impact.

There are sustainability and climate brands that provide information about greenwashing for consumers. Learning how to recognize deceptive advertising can help buyers avoid giving money to deceptive corporations.

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