The United Kingdom’s advertising watchdog has banned paid-for Google ads touting Adidas, Calvin Klein and Uniqlo’s “recycled” and “organic” shoes and clothing after the brands failed to substantiate the claims, potentially misleading consumers.
The ads, which were flagged by the Advertising Standards Agency’s Active Ad Monitoring system for investigation, referenced “recycled” running shoes from Adidas, “responsibly sourced, recycled organic & more” tops from Calvin Klein and fleece coats and jackets made from “recycled materials” from Uniqlo.
After the ASA challenged each of those assertions, Adidas said it didn’t operate a stand-alone recycled footwear range but that consumers would interpret its claim to mean its running shoes contained materials derived from recycled sources, the degree to which varied by product and material type. Similarly, Calvin Klein said it believed consumers would understand that only certain collections within the women’s tops range used environmentally preferred materials such as recycled, organic and other materials. And Uniqlo said its ad implied that its fleece jackets and coats were made, “to a meaningful extent,” using recycled inputs.
But the ASA countered that the U.K. Code of Non-Broadcast Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing, or CAP Code, leaves no room for ambiguity or interpretation in environmental claims, which must be supported by a high level of substantiation.
The agency also cited Competition and Markets Authority guidance that states that advertisers shouldn’t imply a product is entirely made of a single fabric if that isn’t true. In other words, a product shouldn’t be described as “recycled” or “organic” if it comprises fibers that were not recycled or organic, unless the proportion of non-recycled or non-organic fibers is negligible.
Environmental claims remain relatively uncommon in U.K. ads, according to a “pulse” study published by the ASA this week as part of its ongoing Climate Change and the Environment work. The study, which combined automated monitoring with human oversight, analyzed ads captured across Google search and website display advertising between September and November 2025.
But while the findings showed that green claims appear in roughly 1 percent of the ads analyzed, they are often framed in broad or absolute terms such as “eco-friendly,” “sustainable” or “carbon neutral.” About three-quarters of the identified claims were also classified as absolute, meaning statements presented as undeniable facts.
“Under the CAP Code, absolute environmental claims typically require a particularly high level of substantiation,” the watchdog said. “The findings therefore suggest that potential regulatory risk is shaped less by how often green claims appear, and more by how they are framed.”
In Adidas’s case, the ASA said the “claim was absolute,” so it expected evidence that all shoes in a recycled running shoe range were made entirely from recycled materials.
“As Adidas did not have a specific recycled running shoe range, we instead applied that evidential standard to their running shoes that contained recycled material,” it said.
“However, Adidas did not provide evidence that showed that all those running shoes were made from 100 percent recycled material.”
The ASA had also expected to see evidence that the tops in Calvin Klein’s collections were made entirely from recycled, organic or other environmentally preferred materials. While most of the brand’s women’s tops that contained recycled, organic or other certified fabrics predominantly consisted of those materials, no tops were made entirely from recycled, organic or other certified fabrics, leaving the claim unclear.
Uniqlo, too, failed to substantiate its promotion of “recycled materials.” The agency wanted to see evidence that all three items listed on the ad’s landing page—the Fluffy Yarn Fleece Full-Zip Jacket, the Pile Lined Fleece Relaxed Cardigan and the Knit Fleece Full-Zip Jacket—were made entirely from recycled materials, but that was not the case.
“We told Uniqlo to ensure that their future ads made the basis of any environmental claims clear and did not suggest that their products were entirely made from recycled materials when that was not the case, and that a high level of substantiation must be held to support absolute claims,” the ASA said.
An Adidas spokesperson said the company respects the ASA decision. It also remains committed to increasing the use of recycled materials across its products and will continue working to ensure its claims are clear and accurate so consumers can make informed choices.
Because the ads breached “green-speaking” rules, which require advertisers make clear, evidence-based environmental claims, they must not appear again in the form investigated, the ASA said.
Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing said it has “engaged constructively with the ASA” and taken all required actions. “We remain committed to transparent communication and take our responsibility to provide accurate, substantiated advertising claims seriously,” a representative said.
Calvin Klein owner PVH Corp. did not respond to a request for comment. It told ASA, however, that it has removed the ad and is committed to ensuring all future environmental claims and claims related to the fabric composition of its clothes are clearly qualified.