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Environmental group accuses B.C.鈥檚 Lululemon of greenwashing

Stand.earth says clothing firm鈥檚 records don鈥檛 reflect marketing, wants competition bureau probe
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A non-profit organization in British Columbia says it has asked Canada鈥檚 Competition Bureau to investigate athletic-wear giant Lululemon, arguing the company is misleading customers about its environmental impacts. The Lululemon logo is seen on a wall at the company鈥檚 headquarters in Vancouver, B.C., Thursday, May 25, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

A non-profit organization in British Columbia says it has asked Canada鈥檚 Competition Bureau to investigate athletic-wear giant Lululemon, arguing the company is misleading customers about its environmental impacts.

A statement from Stand.earth says Lululemon has been using the slogan 鈥淏e Planet鈥 as part of its 鈥渋mpact agenda鈥 released in 2020, but the company鈥檚 own reports reveal a doubling of greenhouse-gas emissions since then.

Lululemon鈥檚 2022 impact report says its 鈥減roducts and actions help lead (the) industry toward a climate-stable future where nature and people thrive.鈥

It says the Vancouver-based company aims to meet a series of climate action targets by 2030, including a 60-per-cent reduction in emissions intensity for 鈥淪cope 3鈥 operations, which encompasses the making and shipping of clothing globally.

But Lululemon鈥檚 reports, cited by Stand.earth, show total emissions for that category rose to nearly 1.7 million tonnes, up from about 830,000 tonnes in 2020.

Lululemon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company鈥檚 report shows 鈥淪cope 3鈥 activities represent 99.7 per cent of its total carbon footprint.

The report says Lululemon has met its goal to power its own facilities with 鈥渞enewable electricity,鈥 while noting the goal to reduce emissions in 鈥淪cope 3鈥 operations 鈥渘eeds acceleration.鈥

Tzeporah Berman, international program director for Stand.earth, told a press conference on Monday that Lululemon鈥檚 branding amounts to 鈥済reenwashing,鈥 purporting to be a climate steward while pocketing profits associated with rising emissions.

The Competition Bureau has yet to confirm whether it has received the application from Stand.earth to investigate Lululemon under the Competition Act.

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