Munich, April 27, (dpa/GNA) – The environmental campaign group Environmental Action Germany (DUH), is taking McDonald’s Germany to court, accusing the company of misleading consumers regarding its climate targets.
DUH says it filed the case to the Munich Regional Court I on Monday. The campaigners claim the burger chain promised climate neutrality by 2050 on its website, but failed to specify how this target was to be achieved.
The organization accuses the company of “brazen greenwashing” and “misleading promises about the future.”
McDonald’s rejected the criticism. In a statement from its Munich headquarters, the company said it was “perplexed” by the action, and explained that it had already amended the disputed wording on its website.
According to the DUH, McDonald’s promised carbon neutrality from 2050, including its supply chain. “With this, McDonald’s primarily wants to benefit from a green image rather than actually operating sustainably,” said DUH Managing Director JĂĽrgen Resch.
The association criticized the company for lacking concrete, verifiable details on CO2 emissions reductions, as well as interim targets and a robust implementation plan.
A McDonald’s spokesman replied that the website had been updated several months ago. As the criticized content is no longer accessible, legal action would not lead to further improvements for consumers.
The website in question is an information resource providing background content for an interested audience and was never intended to influence consumption or specific purchasing decisions, the spokesman added.
GNA