The UK's advertising regulator has banned a series of adverts from three major fashion brands, ruling they made misleading environmental claims to consumers. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) announced its decision this week, targeting campaigns from Nike, Superdry and Lacoste.
What the ASA Ruled
The ASA found that adverts from all three companies breached its rules by using broad terms like "sustainable," "sustainable style," and "sustainable materials" without clear explanation or proof. The watchdog stated these claims risked misleading customers who are actively trying to make more environmentally friendly purchasing decisions.
Justine Grimley, operations manager for the ASA's green project team, emphasised the importance of clarity. "We know that people are increasingly looking to make greener choices, so it’s important that advertisers are clear and upfront when making environmental claims," she said. "Broad or unproven statements risk giving a misleading picture of how environmentally-friendly a product really is."
The ASA's CAP Code requires that the basis of any environmental claim must be clear to customers. The regulator stressed that "absolute environmental claims" must be backed by a "high level of substantiation."
The Cases Against Each Brand
Nike's 'Sustainable Materials' Claim
The ASA investigated a Nike advert from June 2025 for tennis polo shirts, which stated: "Serve An Ace With Nike … Sustainable Materials." The regulator concluded the claim was "ambiguous and unclear" because it lacked qualifying information. It ruled that consumers would likely interpret it to mean the shirts had no detrimental environmental impact across their entire life cycle, a claim Nike could not substantiate.
Nike argued the ad was intended to reflect the general availability of products with recycled materials on its website. However, the ASA upheld the complaint, stating the basis of the claim was not made clear and supporting evidence was not seen. Nike has since taken "the necessary required actions" following the ruling.
Superdry's 'Sustainable Style' Campaign
An advert for Superdry in June 2025 promised to "Unlock a wardrobe that combines style and sustainability." The ASA again found the term "sustainable" was used without qualification, making it an absolute claim requiring strong evidence.
Superdry told the ASA that 64% of its garments, footwear and accessories bought in 2024 contained sustainably-sourced materials. The company acknowledged the advert was an error, as full life-cycle data for its products was not public, and removed it. The ASA welcomed this action but still concluded the ad was likely to mislead.
Lacoste's Google Ad for Kids' Clothing
Lacoste faced a ban over a Google ad describing its kids' clothing as "Sustainable." The brand itself acknowledged to the ASA that terms like "sustainable" are very difficult to prove. Lacoste said it had achieved a 19% reduction in the environmental footprint of raw materials for the kids' collection between 2022 and 2025, which prompted the claim.
Nonetheless, the company removed the advert immediately after the complaint and assured the ASA it would not repeat the claim in that form. The ASA maintained the ad breached its standards.
A Clear Message to Advertisers
These rulings collectively send a strong warning to the industry. "These rulings send a clear message that advertisers must be able to back up their green claims with solid evidence, so people get fair, accurate information when they’re choosing what to buy," stated Justine Grimley.
The ASA's action highlights the growing scrutiny on 'greenwashing' in marketing, especially within the competitive fashion sector. As consumer demand for sustainable options rises, the regulator is enforcing stricter transparency to ensure environmental claims are honest and verifiable.
