Lidl ordered to withdraw eco-friendly clothing advertisements

The Heilbronn Regional Court has ruled against the German discounter Lidl regarding environmental claims made for its private-label clothing. Following a lawsuit by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), the court prohibited the retailer from advertising certain textiles as ‘biologically valuable’ or claiming they could be safely disposed of in biological cycles.

The legal dispute focused on sweatshirts and pants from the brands ‘pepperts!’ and ‘esmara/LIVERGY’. Although marketed with eco-friendly connotations, the garments consist of a cotton and polyester blend. Because the synthetic components do not decompose in nature, the court determined the claims were misleading.

Critics, including DUH head Barbara Metz, noted that such blended fabrics cannot be easily recycled or composted, and the release of microplastics during washing further undermines the environmental claims made in Lidl's promotional materials.