Canadian athleisure brand Lululemon is under increasing pressure over allegations of misleading consumers about its environmental impact. The accusations were brought forward by the Canadian environmental campaign group Stand.earth, claim that Lululemon is engaging in greenwashing. Stand.earth has filed legal complaints against Lululemon’s ‘Be Planet’ campaign in Canada, France, and the USA, arguing that the campaign contradicts the company’s existing climate record. They are demanding that Lululemon halt its allegedly misleading ad campaign.
“We are asking French officials to investigate how Lululemon can claim to ‘Be Planet’ while creating more planet-harming emissions every year than half a million cars,” said Stand.earth Executive Director Todd Paglia, referencing the complaint filed in France. Lululemon has been the official outfitter for the Canadian national team since 2022.
According to Lululemon’s 2023 Impact report , more than 60% of their apparel is made from fossil fuels and is non-biodegradable. Stand.earth’s complaint highlights the disparity between Lululemon’s public sustainability commitments and its reported environmental performance. Stand.earth claims that the company’s Scope 3 emissions—indirect pollution from its value chain—more than doubled from 2020 to 2022, reaching 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The lawsuit contends that Lululemon uses imagery of nature and environmental responsibility to project an image of being environmentally conscious. According to Stand.earth, the campaign features pictures of rivers, healthy forests, and other natural scenes to convey a misleading message that Lululemon contributes to a healthy planet.
“Lululemon’s marketing campaign messages are unfair, false, deceptive, and misleading to reasonable consumers as they portray Lululemon as something it is not,” the lawsuit states.
Despite these allegations, Lululemon recently reported a 10% increase in net revenue, reaching $2.2 billion for the first quarter. The company projects its full-year revenue to be between $10.7 billion and $10.8 billion, representing an 11% to 12% growth.
