Rewe wins golden cream puff 2021
Rewe receives the negative golden cream puff: In an online vote by the consumer organization foodwatch, around 28 percent of the more than 63.000 participants voted the “climate-neutral” chicken breast fillet from Rewe's own brand Wilhelm Brandenburg as the brazen advertising lie of the year. The advertising gives the impression that the production of the chicken does not have a harmful effect on the climate. In fact, the chicken breast fillet is neither produced emission-free, nor is the CO2 emissions generated during production offset. foodwatch research shows that the forest project in Peru, through which the greenhouse gas emissions were allegedly offset, does not protect the forest there. To advertise meat as “climate neutral” is also fundamentally misleading, according to foodwatch. Animal husbandry accounts for three quarters of all greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture.
"Rewe expects meat to be climate-friendly with false CO2 certificates and thus deceives environmentally conscious consumers:" criticized Manuel Wiemann, election officer for the Golden Windbag. Rewe sells meat as good for the climate, which is an outright lie. This greenwashing must come to an end. Green advertising lies on non-ecological products must be stopped! "
With a campaign at the Rewe headquarters in Cologne on Tuesday, foodwatch tried to hand over the negative price to the group management. A life-size chicken package protested with the sign “I don't want to be a climate lie!”. However, the activists of the consumer organization were - despite prior registration - in front of closed doors: Rewe was not available for a conversation. In a written statement, the retail group rejected the criticism last week: The provider Climate Partner, through whom the supermarket chain had bought the CO2 certificates, had assured that the foodwatch allegations were unfounded, according to Rewe. Manuel Wiemann from foodwatch explained: “Rewe shows consumers the cold shoulder. Compensating for your own emissions by buying C02 certificates is a modern indulgence trade with which companies can become “climate-neutral” in no time at all - without having to do anything seriously for more climate protection themselves. It is not surprising that the beneficiaries of this business model give each other a clean slate. "
For the supposed “climate neutrality” of the Wilhelm Brandenburg poultry products sold in Bavaria, Rewe compensates greenhouse gas emissions through the provider “Climate Partner”. Only certificates of a project for forest protection in Tambopata / Peru are bought for this. However, research commissioned by foodwatch shows that the project does not meet the basic requirements for compensation projects. It does not create any additional benefit for the climate. After the start of the project, deforestation did not decrease as promised, but actually increased. foodwatch warned Rewe and Lohmann & Co. AG (PHW Group), which produces the chicken breast fillet on behalf of Rewe, at the beginning of December for misleading climate advertising. Both refused to sign a cease and desist statement. The company Climate Partner accused foodwatch of methodological errors, but without making important sources and calculations transparent. A scientific report by the independent Öko-Institut confirms the validity of foodwatch's main criticisms of the Tambopata project.
In addition to the chicken breast fillet from Rewe, four other products were nominated for the Golden Puff 2021. More than 63.000 valid votes were received in the election period since mid-November. The result in detail:
1st place: Wilhelm Brandenburg Chicken breast fillet from Rewe (17.661 votes, corresponds to around 27,8 percent of the valid votes cast)
2st place: Volvic natural mineral water from Danone (17.031 votes, 26,8 percent)
3st place: Mövenpick Green Cap coffee capsules by JJ Darboven (9.930 votes, 15,6 percent)
4st place: Katjes Wunderland fruit gums (9.894 votes, 15,6 percent)
5st place: Clean Protein Bar by Naturally Pam by Pamela Reif (8.972 votes, 14,1 percent)
(Photo: dpa / Henning Kaiser)
To draw attention to the problem of consumer deception in the food sector, foodwatch has been awarding the golden cream puffs since 2009 - for the eleventh time in 2021. Previous winners have included the Actimel yoghurt drink from Danone (2009), the milk wafers from Ferrero (2011) and the “Smart Water” from Coca-Cola (2018). Last year, the cheese company Hochland won for its Grünland cheese, which advertised "milk from free range cows" - but the animals were actually in the barn. Hochland then changed the packaging.
