German court bans Hornbach from marketing invasive plants as eco‑friendly

The Pfälzische Oberlandesgericht Zweibrücken ruled on 23 July 2026 that the DIY retailer Hornbach may not advertise four non‑native, potentially invasive plant species as "nature hedge", "native", or as beneficial for birds and insects. The consumer watchdog Verbraucherzentrale Sachsen sued, arguing that the plants – Lycium barbarum (common bocksdorn), Buddleja davidii (butterfly lilac), Rosa rugosa (apple rose) and Forsythia intermedia (golden bell) – are listed by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation as alien species and do not provide ecological benefits. The court found the marketing claims misleading and ordered Hornbach to cease such green‑washing advertisements, pending a possible appeal. The judgment is seen as a precedent for stricter enforcement of EU green‑marketing rules that tighten from September 2026, affecting garden centres and plant retailers nationwide.