Shell rapped over 'sustainable' ad

Environmental group has today celebrated its win against oil producer Shell by launching a digital advert to highlight the success of its campaign against 'greenwash'.

The environmental group WWF had complained to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) that Shell was attempting to mislead consumers over its activities, by using the word "sustainable" to describe its oil projects in Canada and the USA.

Today the ASA ruled in favour of the WWF and declared Shell's advert to be inaccurate.

The WWF has maintained that the production plant in Canada creates three times as many greenhouse gasses as typical oil production does, and by no means can it be described as sustainable, as is hinted at in the oil producer's advert.

ASA ruled that Shell were wrong to include the word sustainable in their advert, and that the ad amounted to 'greenwash'.

Energy companies have for some time been accused of attempting to greenwash consumers by hiding their environmentally damaging actions by sponsoring art exhibitions, open air events and broadcasting adverts regarding a vision for sustainable energy.

However the advert by Shell has been the first to fall foul of the ASA, prompting perhaps other companies to rethink their own advertising strategies.

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