[15.08.2008] Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the independent body responsible for regulating UK advertising, upheld WWF's complaint against an advert placed by Shell in the Financial Times earlier this year.

The advert suggested that oil sands were a sustainable energy source. The ASA decided that the advert 'misleading', due to its ambiguous use of the word 'sustainable'.

The advert referred specifically to the company's oil sands deposits in Alberta, Canada and their work to build the largest oil refinery in North America in Port Arthur, Texas. WWF believes that Shell's repeated use of the term 'sustainable' is entirely at odds with these activities.

A recent report released by WWF and Co-operative Financial Services revealed that the production of oil from tar-soaked shale or sand can create up to eight times as many emissions as conventional oil production does.

More information: 

[1] ASA  statement and Shell's response
[2] Source: Press release WWF
[3] Shell's advert

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