The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2023–2025
FlixBus called itself the greenest option — a court made it remove the claim
FlixBus used broad environmental comparisons and an opaque CO₂ offset offer on its Belgian site, then lost a final court challenge.
FlixBus DACH GmbH · 2025-02-20
What happened
FlixBus marketed journeys on its Belgian website with broad claims including 'environmentally friendly,' 'climate-friendly' and the 'most environmentally friendly means of transport.' It also promoted FlixTrain's environmental benefits even though that service was unavailable in Belgium.
During booking, travellers could buy CO₂ compensation, but the offer stated a price without disclosing the amount of emissions being offset. Belgian inspectors treated the comparisons and offset offer as misleading and asked Germany's Environment Agency to enforce the case across the border.
FlixBus was first given an opportunity to change its practices voluntarily. After it did not do so, the German agency issued a prohibition order in January 2023 and the dispute moved through several appeals.
On 20 February 2025, Germany's Federal Court of Justice rejected the final challenge. FlixBus had to remove the misleading claims from its Belgian website and had already stopped the CO₂-compensation model during the proceedings.
Why it happened
- The campaign used absolute environmental comparisons without defining the routes, alternatives or measurements behind them
- The offset checkout showed a price but hid the quantity of emissions the customer was paying to offset
- Marketing promoted a rail service to Belgian customers even though that service was not available in Belgium
- The company declined a voluntary correction, turning a website copy problem into a final cross-border enforcement ruling
The lesson
Environmental comparisons need a visible denominator — name what was measured, against which alternative, before making the claim absolute.
Sources
- FlixBus reprimanded for greenwashing — Belgian FPS Economy, March 2025
- Environmental statements on long-distance bus journeys: Federal Court confirms UBA decision — German Environment Agency, February 2025
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