Apple Watch Must Drop Carbon‑Neutral Claim After Frankfurt Verdict

Apple has lost the legal privilege of labeling its Apple Watch as carbon neutral in Germany after a Frankfurt regional court ruled that the claim misleads consumers and violates the country’s competition law. The court’s decision stems from scrutiny of Apple’s offset project in Paraguay, where the company glossy‑marketed that planting eucalyptus trees balances out the emissions from its Watch Series 9 and Series 10. However, judges pointed out that 75 percent of the land involved is leased only until 2029, with no binding extension. This weakens any long‑term guarantee of carbon storage, undermining the integrity of the offset claim in the eyes of reasonable consumers—especially given the expectations set by the Paris Agreement for neutrality through mid‑century. Environmental association DUH celebrated the verdict as a win against corporate greenwashing, arguing that monoculture plantations offer only short‑term CO₂ storage and harm biodiversity. Apple maintains that the ruling “broadly upholds our rigorous approach to carbon neutrality,” and reaffirmed its goal to reach full supply‑chain carbon neutrality by 2030. The company may also phase out the “carbon neutral” label in Europe ahead of tight EU regulations coming into force in September 2026.