TotalEnergies Loses In Paris Court, Marking A Turning Point For Fossil Fuel Truth-In-Advertising

Michael Barnard  https://cleantechnica.com

Excerpt.  Link to full article.  https://cleantechnica.com/2025/11/03/totalenergies-loses-in-paris-c...

In late October 2025, a Paris court quietly shifted the ground under one of the world’s largest oil companies. TotalEnergies, the French multinational once known simply as Total, was found to have misled consumers about its role in the energy transition. The decision was not about spills or emissions or tax evasion. It was about language. The judges ruled that the company’s words — its advertising, website statements, and public claims about being a “major player in the energy transition” and “on the path to net zero by 2050” — were deceptive under French consumer law. It was the first time a fossil fuel major was held legally accountable in France for greenwashing.

The case was brought by three environmental groups: Greenpeace France, Friends of the Earth, and Notre Affaire à Tous. They used France’s consumer protection code, not environmental regulation, as the basis for their complaint. Their argument was simple. By branding itself as an energy transition leader while continuing to expand oil and gas production, TotalEnergies created a false impression for the public. The company’s communications targeted consumers, not regulators or investors. That made the claims subject to truth-in-advertising laws. The court agreed. It ordered TotalEnergies to stop using misleading phrases, to publish the ruling on its website for 180 days, and to pay modest fines to the plaintiffs.

The judgment matters because it pierces a narrative that has dominated energy-sector communications for years. When Total rebranded as TotalEnergies in 2021, it presented the change as the beginning of a full-spectrum transformation. Its new logo used bright colors suggesting solar and wind. Its press materials claimed the firm was “re-inventing energy.” Yet the company’s financial statements told another story. In 2023, more than 90% of its $240 billion in revenue came from hydrocarbons. Its capital expenditure plan still prioritized oil, gas, and liquefied natural gas. Renewables and low-carbon energy together accounted for less than 10% of total investment. The rebranding had not changed the business model; it had only reframed it.