UK watchdog kills ActionAid's attempt to nix Shell biofuels advertising

In the UK, Shell has won the fight launched against it by ActionAid UK that claimed false advertising in the company’s ads saying that biofuels lowered greenhouse gas emissions. The country’s Advertising Standards Authority ruled the ad was not misleading as evidence provided by Shell demonstrated its biofuels met or exceeded targeted savings of greenhouse gas emissions.

In its ruling, the ASA explained: “Shell International Ltd (Shell) stated that there was a consensus between three very different legislative bodies that biofuels can, and do, reduce CO2 emissions from vehicles and that this claim was backed up by a large body of evidence.

“They provided a list of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings that would be achieved by a wide range of biofuels sold within the EU and US and stated that these values were based on a “seed to wheel” life-cycle analysis of the biofuels.

“They also stated that this data was developed by the EU Commission in full consultation with biofuel producers and NGOs and was based on a wide consensus and a large body of scientific evidence.”