Havas Media’s First Shell Campaign Is Under Investigation for Greenwashing

The ASA didn’t share more details of the complaints. However, Shell weakened its carbon reduction targets earlier this year, nixing an earlier goal to reduce its carbon intensity—a measure that estimates the amount of CO2 pollution created by its operations—by 45% before 2035, based on a 2016 baseline. In 2023, Shell increased spending on upstream oil and gas infrastructure and marketing while decreasing spending on renewable energy.

Banning oil ads

To complete its investigation, the ASA will assess the 71 complaints that people have submitted alleging that the Shell ad gives a misleading impression of its environmental impact. It will also review the evidence offered by Shell to back up its claims and defend itself against the accusations.

If the ASA finds that the complaints are valid, the agency will order Shell to withdraw the ad and prohibit the brand from running it again in its current form, a spokesperson explained.

There is precedence from other oil and gas companies that may protect Shell from a ban.

Last December, the ASA banned an ad from oil and gas company Equinor because it misled readers by implying that renewable energy and carbon capture technology was a significant part of its current business. In reality, the vast majority of its business and investments are still in oil and gas.

In Shell’s ad, a small-print disclaimer notes that 68% of the company’s business comes from oil and gas, while 23% comes from “low-carbon energy solutions,” which include bio-based methane gas and hydrogen. That disclaimer could help Shell avoid an ad ban as it addresses how much the company is investing in renewable energy, whereas Equinor’s ad did not.