The Competition Bureau of Canada has launched a formal inquiry into Lululemon’s environmental claims made in its marketing campaigns because of allegations of deceptive conduct. Marianne Blondin, a bureau official, confirmed the investigation to Canadian network CBC.
The activist group leading the investigation, Stand.earth, has accused Lululemon of greenwashing. The group points out discrepancies between the ecological footprint, as recently disclosed in an impact analysis, and the company’s declared sustainability aims.
Claims state that the results of Lululemon’s impact assessment for 2022 conflict with the company’s Be Planet sustainability campaign, which was originally unveiled in 2020 with pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Under Scope 3, or emissions from customers using the company’s products, the study showed a significant increase in the company’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite mounting pressure, Lululemon has stated that it is assisting the Competition Bureau with its inquiry and continues to believe that its public assertions are true. But before Lululemon’s complaint can be dropped, Stand.earth executive director Todd Paglia told CBC that the company needs to put in place strict measures to cut down on pollution linked to climate change throughout its supply chain.
The flaws were brought to even greater light in April when Actions Speak Louder (ASL), an environmental advocacy group, disclosed the results of an extensive six-month investigation into Lululemon’s textile supply chain. The inquiry found that there is a steadfast incapacity to halt harmful impacts on the environment, such as greenhouse gas emissions, water and air pollution, and a reliance on fossil fuels, especially coal.
