Michele Majidi
Researcher
Sustainability in advertising and marketing in Europe - statistics & facts
As one of the largest economic regions in the world, Europe’s developments in the environmental sphere have crucial implications for the whole planet. The continent’s largest economy, Germany, also ranked first for ecological footprint. Amid increasing public calls to do more for sustainability, there is an increasing demand for brands to deliver results in ensuring a greener future.
In 2023, a Dutch court ruled that KLM had deceived customers in a campaign touting reduced emissions. Another European heavyweight, Volkswagen, trumped all competition in nabbing the highest anti-greenwashing fine ever, with its 2015 “Dieselgate” scandal setting the Germany company back by 35 billion U.S. dollars. At the European Union (EU) level, advancements have been made in the realm of green legislation. In February 2024, the European Parliament approved a series of rules, known as the Green Claims Directive, aiming to protect consumers from unverified environmental claims. Companies will have to secure the reliability of their sustainability claims – which will also have to be checked by an independent party – and communicate them in a transparent way.
Despite advancements being made in both regulations and company consciousness, only one-fifth of European companies measured their carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) emissions produced by the delivery of digital advertising – signifying room for further improvement in the emission measurement game.
New regulation promises to take on greenwashing
In terms of statements of intent, European marketers said they were taking eco-friendliness seriously, with almost eight out of 10 identifying it as a key marketing trend. Sustainability also ranked third among the top digital advertising industry challenges in the continent, following third-party-cookie depreciation and measurement. Increasing industry focus notwithstanding, greenwashing allegations are no stranger to the Old Continent.In 2023, a Dutch court ruled that KLM had deceived customers in a campaign touting reduced emissions. Another European heavyweight, Volkswagen, trumped all competition in nabbing the highest anti-greenwashing fine ever, with its 2015 “Dieselgate” scandal setting the Germany company back by 35 billion U.S. dollars. At the European Union (EU) level, advancements have been made in the realm of green legislation. In February 2024, the European Parliament approved a series of rules, known as the Green Claims Directive, aiming to protect consumers from unverified environmental claims. Companies will have to secure the reliability of their sustainability claims – which will also have to be checked by an independent party – and communicate them in a transparent way.
Despite advancements being made in both regulations and company consciousness, only one-fifth of European companies measured their carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) emissions produced by the delivery of digital advertising – signifying room for further improvement in the emission measurement game.
