Adverts by Lavazza and Dualit prohibited due to allegations of deceitful compostable product declarations
In an alarming turn of events, two prominent coffee companies have faced the heat for advertising their products as home compostable, a claim that turned out to be misleading at best. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has taken a strict stance against such practices, with both Lavazza and Dualit facing the brunt of its wrath.
The issue revolves around the European Standard EN13432 certification, which essentially means that these coffee pods and bags are designed to break down in an industrial compost setting. However, they may not decompose effectively in a domestic compost bin, and if they do, they could potentially leave behind harmful residues or toxic matter[2][5].
Lavazza's Eco Caps coffee pods, touted as providing "coffee shop taste in compostable capsules for your home," were found to be misleading. The ASA clarified that these pods could only be composted in an industrial setting, not at home[2][5]. Similarly, Dualit's compostable coffee bags were suggested to be domestic compostable, a claim that was debunked by the ASA[2][5].
Despite the controversy, both companies contend that consumers understand the term "compostable" to mean that the product is made of compostable material, not necessarily that it can be used in home compost systems[1]. They argue that it was never their intention to mislead customers and emphasize that their products are certified for industrial composting[1].
Misinformation about the environmental friendliness of products can greatly influence purchasing decisions. The ASA reiterates the importance of companies clearly communicating how easy it is to dispose of products in an environmentally friendly manner, to prevent any confusion or misleading statements[2].
Following the ASA's decision, Lavazza has taken its advert offline around 10 months ago, having amended it to reflect the correct information[2]. The ASA urges companies to be transparent about the disposal methods of their products, to uphold environmental responsibility[2].
[1] https://www.lavazza.com/en/eco-caps[2] https://www.asa.org.uk/enforcement-actions/general-and-other-action/757772-lava-zze-uk-limited/[3] https://www.asa.org.uk/enforcement-actions/general-and-other-action/757764-dualit-limited/[4] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56511404[5] https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/coffee-pods/article/can-you-compost-coffee-pods[6] https://www.ecocentricity.com/blog/are-compostable-coffee-pods-a-myth
- The ASA has stated that Lavazza's Eco Caps coffee pods, marketed as 'compostable' for domestic use, can only be composted in an industrial setting, not at home.
- Dualit's compostable coffee bags, initially claimed to be domestic compostable, have been debunked by the ASA, revealing they can only be composted in industrial settings.
- Science and environmental science suggest that these household compostable pods and bags, when composted at home, might leave behind harmful residues or toxic matter.
- In response to the ASA's decision, both Lavazza and Dualit argue that their products are certified for industrial composting and contend that consumers understand 'compostable' to mean a product made of compostable material, not necessarily that it can be used in home compost systems.
