A federal judge in California has dismissed a proposed class action lawsuit accusing Apple Inc. of misleading consumers by marketing certain Apple Watch models as “carbon neutral.” The plaintiffs, who are purchasers of these devices, alleged that Apple’s environmental claims were deceptive and constituted greenwashing.
U.S. District Judge Noe l Wise for the Northern District of California ruled that the plaintiffs failed to substantiate their allegations with credible evidence. The judge noted that the plaintiffs themselves were the source of the analyses challenging Apple’s carbon neutrality claims and did not demonstrate that their methodology was accepted within scientific circles or endorsed by experts. Consequently, the court found the claims insufficient to proceed.
This decision aligns with a broader trend in the judiciary, where courts have been scrutinizing greenwashing allegations. For instance, in October 2025, U.S. District Judge Manish Shah in Chicago dismissed a similar lawsuit against Mondelez International. The case involved accusations that the company misled consumers by labeling Clif bars as “climate neutral certified.” The court found that Mondelez’s labeling, which reflected certification from the Change Climate Project, was not deceptive. Judge Shah emphasized that the company did not advertise the bars as inherently climate neutral but as certified by a recognized nonprofit organization, distinguishing between the product’s attributes and its certification status.
Conversely, in August 2025, a German court ruled against Apple, finding that the company could no longer advertise its Apple Watch as a “CO2-neutral product” in Germany. The court determined that Apple’s reliance on a forestation project in Paraguay to offset emissions was insufficient, as the leases for the majority of the project area were not secured beyond 2029, casting doubt on the long-term viability of the carbon offset initiative.
These cases underscore the complexities involved in substantiating environmental claims and the necessity for companies to ensure that their sustainability assertions are backed by credible, third-party analyses. As consumers become increasingly environmentally conscious, the accuracy and transparency of such claims are likely to face heightened scrutiny in both legal and public arenas.