Peikko Group Corporation has filed a legal action with the Market Court of Finland regarding greenwashing related to the product marketing of Anstar Oy.
Peikko has found out that Anstar Oy has used claims "LOW CARBON A-BEAM W" and "LOW CARBON A-BEAM S" in the marketing of its steel beam products. However, there is no information or documents, such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), available to support these claims, which would justify the use of these low-carbon claims. Without reliable and accessible sources of information, the claims used can be considered unfounded and understood as prohibited greenwashing in marketing. This violates both EU legislation and the ICC Advertising and Marketing Communications Code.
In May 2024, the Market Court prohibited Anstar Oy from continuing or renewing the practice of using false or misleading expressions in the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) of the A-BEAM S steel beam product regarding the domestic origin of the steel raw materials and the quantity and proportion of steel grades in the product. Now, the LOW CARBON claim has been added to this same product name, A-BEAM S, which was subject to the Market Court’s prohibitive decision, as well as to the product name A-BEAM W. The claim cannot be assessed or fully understood by customers due to a lack of reliable and available information to support it.
Peikko Group Corporation has sent a letter to the Managing Director and the Board of Directors of Anstar Oy, requesting them to stop the practice in question by a specified deadline and to remove these claims from the company's website and any other platforms and sources. Anstar Oy has not responded to Peikko's letter or taken the requested actions.
"Anstar Oy received the prohibitive decision for the misleading Environmental Product Declaration, EPD, of its A-BEAM S steel beam product already in May 2024. Now when this product is being marketed as low-carbon and at the same time Environmental Product Declarations are not available, on what basis can customers and other stakeholders verify the reliability of the environmental claims this time? Misleading and unfounded product marketing claims make it difficult for customers to compare products, jeopardize trust in industry operators, and reduce their credibility", says Topi Paananen, CEO of Peikko Group Corporation.
Further information:
Topi Paananen, CEO, Peikko Group Corporation
Mobile +358 50 384 3001, email [email protected]
Greenwashing refers to an environmental claim that is not truthful or cannot be verified. It is a commercial practice in which a company makes false, exaggerated, or unverified claims about the positive environmental impacts of its products or services, misleading customers about their environmental friendliness. Greenwashing is prohibited under EU legislation.
Source 1: Commission Notice – Guidance on the interpretation and application of Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market C/2021/9320, source 2: ICC Advertising and Marketing Communications Code.
The decision made by the Market Court in May 2024 is available in Finnish via this document
Peikko Group in brief
Peikko Group Corporation is a leading global supplier of slim floor structures and connection technology for precast and cast-in-situ construction. Peikko’s innovative solutions offer a faster, safer, and more sustainable way to design and build. Peikko has sales offices in over 30 countries in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and North America, with manufacturing operations in 12 countries. Peikko generated a turnover of EUR 262 million in 2023. Peikko is a family-owned and managed company that employs over 2,000 professionals. Peikko was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Lahti, Finland. Further information: www.peikko.com.