Apple has been ordered to stop marketing its Apple Watch as a “CO₂-neutral product” in Germany after a Frankfurt court ruled the company’s claims were misleading.
The case was brought forward by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), an environmental group that accused Apple of “greenwashing.”
Judges agreed, saying Apple failed to provide sufficient evidence that its watch could truly be considered carbon neutral. The court also noted weaknesses in the offsetting projects Apple used to back its claims.
Apple had promoted the watch as “our first CO₂-neutral product,” relying heavily on a reforestation project in Paraguay to offset emissions.
The programme involves planting eucalyptus trees on leased land, but critics argue such monoculture plantations damage biodiversity, drain water resources, and store carbon for only short periods. Ecologists have gone as far as labelling them “green deserts.”
The court found further issues with Apple’s offsetting strategy, pointing out that leases covering 75% of the Paraguayan land expire in 2029, with no guarantees they will be renewed. “There is no secure future for the continuation of the forest project,” the ruling stated.
DUH welcomed the decision, calling it a victory for consumers and the environment. Juergen Resch, the group’s head, said: “The supposed storage of CO₂ in commercial eucalyptus plantations is limited to just a few years, the contractual guarantees for the future are not sufficient and the ecological integrity of monoculture areas is not guaranteed.”
Apple responded cautiously, saying the judgment “broadly upheld our rigorous approach to carbon neutrality.” The company did not confirm whether it plans to appeal.
The ruling comes as the European Union prepares to enforce strict rules on environmental labelling. From September 2026, companies will be banned from using terms such as “carbon neutral” or “climate neutral” unless their claims are backed by verifiable scientific standards.
If Apple continues to market the Apple Watch in Germany as carbon neutral, it could face fines of up to €250,000 per violation.
The case is expected to ripple across the tech industry, where major firms such as Meta and Microsoft also rely on similar offset projects in Latin America.
Environmental watchdogs, including Carbon Market Watch, have long argued that many offset-based strategies are “scientifically inaccurate” and give consumers a false sense of sustainability.
