German Court Blocks Apple’s Carbon-Neutral Watch Claim

Apple’s bold claim that the Apple Watch is carbon-neutral has hit a legal wall in Germany.

A regional court in Frankfurt has ruled that the company’s marketing around its carbon-neutral Apple Watch violates competition law, siding with environmentalists who accused the tech giant of misleading consumers.

The case was initiated by Deutsche Umwelthilfe, a German environmental group, which argued that Apple’s reliance on carbon credits to offset emissions amounted to greenwashing. The court agreed, criticizing Apple’s presentation of its environmental efforts as definitive proof of neutrality.

Apple first promoted its Apple Watch Series 9 in 2023 as one of the company’s first carbon-neutral products, highlighting a plan to make all devices carbon-neutral by 2030. The company emphasized clean energy in manufacturing, 30% renewable materials, and reduced air transport, claiming these steps cut emissions by 75%. To offset the rest, Apple relied on carbon credits tied to reforestation projects in South America.

But Germany’s scrutiny fell on those credits. Apple’s Restore Fund invests in forestry projects in Paraguay and Brazil, including fast-growing eucalyptus plantations. While Apple presented these projects as sustainable, ecologists countered that such monocultures harm biodiversity, consume excessive water, and lack long-term security. Many of the land leases for these forests expire in 2029, leaving their permanence in doubt.

In response to both the ruling and upcoming EU legislation, Apple confirmed it will stop using the carbon-neutral label in Europe. The decision marks a setback for Apple’s environmental branding and highlights the growing pressure on corporations to prove that their climate claims are more than marketing spin.