Ryanair misled customers with claims on carbon emissions
The UK’s advertising watchdog has decided that an advert from Ryanair about its carbon emissions was misleading.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that a press, TV and radio advert, all released in September 2019, wrongly claimed that Ryanair is Europe’s low emission airline.
It comes after the UK’s aviation industry made a pledge yesterday to become carbon neutral by 2050.
In its ruling, the ASA said of the claim: “We did not consider consumers would understand it to mean that the CO2 emissions associated with their journey could be considered “low” in absolute terms.”
Ryanair justified its figures by stating the young age and efficiency of its fleet in addition to offering a large number of direct flights.
The ASA also ruled that Ryanair’s comparison with its competitors could not be considered an accurate measure for consumers.
The ruling means Ryanair can no longer use the advert in print, radio or TV.
In a statement, the airline said: “Ryanair is delighted with its latest environmental advertising campaign, which communicates a hugely important message for our customers.
“The single most important thing any consumer can do to halve their carbon footprint is switch to Ryanair.”
Yesterday, the boss of Heathrow airport told the BBC that the way to reduce carbon emissions is not to stop people flying but to ensure the industry decarbonises by using alternative fuels when they become available.
Other examples include the use of more efficient aircraft.