Apple is facing a lawsuit filed by consumers who claim that the company misled them regarding the carbon neutrality of several Apple Watch models. The lawsuit was submitted on Wednesday in federal court in San Jose, California, involving seven purchasers of the Apple Watch Series 9, SE, and Ultra 2.
Apple faces lawsuit over misleading carbon neutrality claims
The plaintiffs allege that Apple’s claims that these models are “carbon neutral” and environmentally friendly are false and misleading. They argue that they would not have made their purchases or would have paid less had they been aware of the actual carbon impact of the products.
Apple launched the carbon-neutral watches in September 2023, promoting them as such due to lower emissions and the use of carbon offsets. However, the lawsuit identifies two projects that Apple used to justify these claims—the Chyulu Hills Project in Kenya and the Guinan Project in China—as failing to provide “genuine” carbon reductions.
According to the complaint, the Chyulu Hills Project includes land that has been protected as a national park since 1983, making deforestation unlikely regardless of Apple’s involvement. Similarly, the Guinan Project reportedly had dense tree coverage before its initiative began in 2015, suggesting that emissions reductions would have occurred with or without Apple’s participation. The plaintiffs argue that this undermines the validity of Apple’s carbon neutrality claims.
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The lawsuit aims to seek damages from Apple and an injunction to prevent the company from using the term ‘carbon neutral’ in future product marketing. The complaint also notes that research from the National Retail Federation and IBM indicates that 70% of consumers in the US and Canada consider environmental sustainability important in their purchasing decisions.
In response to the lawsuit, Apple has defended its environmental initiatives, stating that it has managed to reduce emissions from Apple Watch production by over 75% and continues to invest in nature-based projects designed to sequester carbon. The company maintains that it presents its environmental efforts transparently.
This legal challenge is not Apple’s first regarding the eco-friendliness of its products. Earlier in 2023, the European Union consumer organization BEUC criticized Apple’s carbon neutral claims as scientifically inaccurate and misleading, asserting that they relied on carbon offset credits instead of achieving true emission reductions.
Apple acknowledges that between 7 and 12 kg of emissions per watch remain but asserts these are offset through high-quality credits.
Featured image credit: Apple
