UK ASA bans Adidas, Calvin Klein, Uniqlo ads over unsubstantiated ‘recycled’ claims

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned three separate advertisements from Adidas, Calvin Klein and Uniqlo after finding the companies could not substantiate the use of the term “recycled” in their marketing. The regulator said the wording could mislead consumers into believing the products were entirely made from recycled material, a claim that requires a high level of evidence.

Adidas argued that some of its running shoes contain recycled content, Calvin Klein said its women’s tops include “environmentally preferred materials”, and Uniqlo claimed its fleece coats and jackets were made from recycled materials to a “meaningful extent”. The ASA rejected all explanations, noting that the ads did not clearly disclose the proportion of non‑recycled fibres. “It’s important that people can trust the environmental claims they see in ads,” ASA complaints director Miles Lockwood said. The ban follows earlier ASA actions against Nike, Superdry, Lacoste and other brands for similar green‑washing concerns, highlighting a broader crackdown on misleading sustainability claims in fashion advertising.