Consumers file lawsuit against Apple over false claims of carbon neutrality of Apple Watch
Consumers have filed a lawsuit against Apple, claiming that the company is misleading them. According to them, the company claimed that its Apple Watch Series 9, SE, and Ultra 2 watches were "carbon neutral", which is not true.
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The plaintiffs allege that Apple misrepresented the environmental impact of these watch models by relying on carbon offset projects that they believe do not result in real emissions reductions. In particular, the plaintiffs believe that they would not have bought these devices or would have paid less for them if they had known about this.
This lawsuit focuses on two carbon offset projects that Apple uses to support its carbon neutrality claims: the Chulu Hills project in Kenya and the Ginan project in China.
According to the lawsuit, both projects did not contribute to additional emissions reductions because the land was already protected or reforested before Apple began funding them.
The plaintiffs argue that the company's support did not reduce carbon emissions more than would have occurred naturally because the areas were already protected or reforested.
Apple introduced its first carbon-neutral watch models in September 2023 as part of its environmental initiatives. The company has stated that its goal is to make its entire business carbon neutral by 2030.
The plaintiffs are seeking not only compensatory damages, but also an injunction to prohibit Apple from using the "carbon neutral" labelling on the Apple Watch Series 9, SE and Ultra 2 models.
Source: Reuters
