Cruise travel agency adjusts sustainability claims following an ACM action

Cruise travel agency Captain Cruise has adjusted unsubstantiated sustainability claims on its website. It implemented these changes after the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) had confronted Captain Cruise with these findings. The cruise travel agency used absolute sustainability claims without any substantiation, using Dutch phrases such as ‘verantwoord’ (‘responsible’), ‘duurzaam cruisen’ (‘cruising sustainably’) or ‘milieuvriendelijke reis’ (‘environmentally-friendly trip’). As a result, cruises seemed more sustainable than they actually are.

What was this case about?

On its website, Captain Cruise presented claims regarding sustainability, linking these to its range of cruises for consumers. Following discussions with ACM, Captain Cruise removed the misleading claims, both in text as well as in pictures on the website. In addition, the page on ‘duurzaam cruisen’ (‘cruising sustainably’) has been changed into ‘cruisen en het milieu’ (‘cruising and the environment’), which explains how the cruise industry deals with environmental challenges.

ACM launched this intervention following an article published by the Dutch Consumers’ Association (in Dutch: Consumentenbond) on ‘green’ tour operators. ACM opted to confront Captain Cruise with the unsubstantiated sustainability claims directly. Captain Cruise subsequently removed those claims straight away.

Better protection for consumers

In September, the new European directive Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) will come into effect across the EU. This is a supplement to existing rules for sustainability claims under the Dutch Unfair Commercial Practices Act (in Dutch: Wet oneerlijke handelspraktijken), which ACM already enforces. Although general, absolute sustainability claims are already likely to be misleading under the Dutch Unfair Commercial Practices Act, a statutory ban will soon enter into force on the use of such claims if a direct substantiation is missing. This concerns phrases such as ‘conscious’ (in Dutch: “bewust”), ‘sustainable’ (in Dutch: “duurzaam”), and ‘responsible’ (in Dutch: “verantwoord”) without any substantiation of both the environmental and social characteristics of the products or services.

The new rules also sets requirements on certification labels. For example, a ban will be introduced on labels that have not been certified by an independent third party. According to the directive, businesses will soon only be allowed to use an independent sustainability logo under strict conditions.

ACM and sustainability

ACM ensures that people are able to make well-informed, more-sustainable choices by making sure businesses provide honest and trustworthy sustainability information to consumers. If people are able to have confidence in the sustainability information, a level playing field is created for businesses that are committed to the sustainability transition.

In order to give guidance to businesses when phrasing their sustainability claims, ACM in 2023 published the Guidelines regarding Sustainability claims. When drawing up sustainability claims, it is important to consult the new ECGT regulations too.

See also

• Focus on Sustainability 2026 | ACM (in Dutch)
• Explanatory notes to the application of the EU directive regarding sustainability claims to old inventories | ACM (in Dutch)
• Feasibility and Enforceability Assessment (UHT) of legislation regarding better sustainability information for consumers | ACM (in Dutch)