Description
Who: Shell
Where: advertising watchdog, the Netherlands (Reclame Code Commissie)
What: ‘We are one of the biggest drivers of the energy transition’ and ‘We change’ ruled misleading
When: February 2022
Shell as ‘one of the biggest drivers of the energy transition’ ruled misleading
The Advertising Code Committee in the Netherlands considers it ‘unjustifiable’ that Shell presents itself in advertisements as ‘driver – let alone one of the biggest drivers – of renewable energy’. Shell was already reprimanded twice for other misleading phrases in the same advertising campaign, ‘We are changing’. This led to questions in the national parliament for the Minister of Climate and Energy.
‘We change’ ruled misleading
The complaint is about the campaign in which Shell states: ‘We change, in one of the biggest drivers of the energy transition’. The judgement rules: “The phrase ‘We are changing into…’ suggests that the new situation (renewable energy) replaces the old situation (fossil fuels). This cannot be said as long as Shell continues its investments in fossil projects almost unabatedly.”
The complaint had been filed by musician and scientist Jos Koning, supported by Reclame Fossielvrij.
