VietJet forced to remove 'Green Friday' campaign in SG after greenwashing claims

Vietnamese budget airline VietJet has been instructed to remove a promotional campaign in Singapore after the nation's advertising watchdog found the company had made unsubstantiated environmental claims. According to Sustainability Magazine, VietJet's "Green Friday" promotion  was marketed towards travelers as an eco-friendlier alternative, offering air tickets for as low as S$87 (US$64).  The ad ran in November last year.

In conversations with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Bryan Tan, chairman of the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS) said the ASAS received feedback in November last year regarding VietJet's "Green Friday" campaign, communicated through their media release, advertisements on their website and social media channels.

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ASAS followed up with VietJet on the sustainability claims that it made in advertisements for the campaign, and received supporting documents for the claims. However, the claims of reduced fuel consumption and emissions of up to 20% and 50% respectively that were derived from the documents, were specific to a particular combination of aircraft type and engine, which made up only part of the VietJet fleet.

As consumers could not be assured of flying on this particular VietJet aircraft, the statements were found to be in breach of two guideline of the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (SCAP), including: 

1. Matters of fact
2. All descriptions, claims and comparisons that relate to matters of objectively ascertainable facts should be capable of substantiation. Advertisers and advertising agencies are required to hold such substantiation ready for immediate production without delay to ASAS upon request.

"We understand from VietJet that the communications for the Green Friday campaign has been removed from its Singapore channels and thus consider the matter closed," Tan said. 

He added, "Sustainability claims should be clear as to whether the advertised action, product or service provides a net benefit to the environment or is more sustainable than those offered by competitors. Terms such as “eco-friendly” are too vague to communicate these to consumers without the appropriate qualifiers". 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to VietJet for more information. 

VietJet isn't the only company that has been called out for "misguided" campaigns recently. In November last year, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) issued a warning to food delivery platform foodpanda for its "misleading" advertisement in an advertising campaign for its pandapro subscription service.

The pandapro advertisement promoted “unlimited free delivery on all restaurants” for the subscription service which ran from 1 July to 30 September 2024. This was displayed across multiple platforms including foodpanda’s Instagram page, its in-app marketing, billboards and signages at public areas such as bus stops.

In August 2024, CCCS commenced an investigation following a complaint on the advertisement.

Without any qualifiers, it could mislead consumers into thinking that pandapro subscribers would enjoy free delivery on all restaurants available on foodpanda, said CCCS in a statement.

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