Captain Cruise, a cruise travel agency, has made changes to its website to remove unsubstantiated sustainability claims after being confronted by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). The agency had used absolute claims such as 'milieuvriendelijke reis' ('environmentally-friendly trip') without any supporting evidence, misleading consumers about the sustainability of their cruises.

Following discussions with ACM, Captain Cruise promptly removed these misleading claims from its website, including both text and images. The page previously dedicated to 'duurzaam cruisen' ('cruising sustainably') has been updated to 'cruisen en het milieu' ('cruising and the environment'), which now provides information on how the cruise industry addresses environmental challenges.

This intervention by ACM was prompted by an article from the Dutch Consumers’ Association highlighting misleading sustainability claims by tour operators. ACM aims to ensure that consumers receive accurate sustainability information, thereby fostering a fair competitive environment for businesses committed to sustainability.

With the upcoming European directive, Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT), set to take effect in September, stricter regulations will be enforced regarding sustainability claims. This includes a ban on using absolute claims without direct substantiation and requirements for certification labels to be verified by independent third parties.

ACM's efforts are part of a broader initiative to help consumers make informed choices and to promote honest sustainability information in the market. In 2023, ACM published guidelines to assist businesses in formulating their sustainability claims in compliance with the new regulations.