New York sues beef producer JBS for alleged deceptive climate change marketing
The New York State Attorney General, Letitia James, has filed a lawsuit in state court against beef producing giant JBS. The state alleges that the company has been misleading the public about efforts to reduce its climate footprint.
Misleading pledge
According to state prosecutors, JBS has continued to make fraudulent and illegal marketing claims related to a commitment to reduce its contributions to climate pollution. This is despite being cautioned against such marketing by a consumer watchdog group citing the absence of a strategy to deliver on this promise.
Claims of sustainability
Back in 2021, JBS joined numerous other companies in promising to curtail greenhouse gas emissions with a goal to limit global warming. JBS committed to eliminating or offsetting all heat-trapping emissions from their operations and supply chains by 2040. The New York prosecutors, however, argue that JBS can’t feasibly achieve these targets. They point out there aren’t currently proven methods to fully neutralize agriculture emissions at the scale of JBS’s activities. The prosecutors also highlight that offsetting emissions using carbon credits would be extremely costly.
Consumer deception
The Attorney General emphasizes the ongoing impact of climate change on households and that consumers are increasingly willing to pay a premium for products from companies that show environmental consideration. If companies falsely advertise their commitment to sustainability, this could mislead consumers and contribute to damaging the environment further.
Growing criticism and penalties sought
The lawsuit comes as JBS considers going public on the U.S. stock exchange and faces rising critique. Last year, the National Advertising Division (NAD), a self-regulating body of the advertising industry, recommended that JBS stop advertising a commitment to net zero emissions by 2040 due to a lack of evidence supporting a plan to achieve this aim.
U.S. legislators have also questioned the company’s practices. A bipartisan group of senators communicated to the Wall Street regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission, that JBS has a history of overstating environmental stewardship and downplaying risks. State prosecutors are urging for an end to misleading marketing regarding JBS’s climate efforts and also seeking civil fines among other penalties.
Source: New York sues beef producer JBS for ‘fraudulent’ marketing around climate change.
