When Gina Tricot, together with Bianca Ingrosso, launched the climate campaign "Gina Tricot Forest", the clothing giant promised to plant its own forest and buy beehives to contribute to increased biological diversity.
Now the company is being accused of greenwashing.
The land that the company bought is, in fact, too small to be called a forest, reveals SVT Väst.
It smells very much like greenwashing, says Matts Lindbladh, professor of forest ecology, to the channel.
The "forest" is located on a field in Danish Kalundborg, where the company Eco Tree has planted 17,600 trees. However, the land is not solely owned by the clothing giant, but by 150 private individuals and at least 20 companies. In total, Gina Tricot has bought 503 of the trees.
"Ordinary villa plot"
Matts Lindbladh refers to international standards and believes that a forest must cover an area of at least 0.5 hectares, whereas the land bought by Gina Tricot only covers 0.16 hectares.
It corresponds more to a slightly larger villa plot, says Lindbladh, who believes the campaign is a "bluff".
In total, Gina Tricot paid 108,000 kronor for the trees and beehives. At the same time, a marketing expert estimates that the clothing giant paid between five and ten million to Bianca Ingrosso, who fronted the campaign.
Gina Tricot's global sustainability manager Rebecca Watkins says to SVT that the campaign was born out of good intentions.
To highlight biological diversity, that was the focus.
"Shares the assessment"
She also says that the term "Gina Tricot Forest" was unfortunate, since they knew from the start that the forest itself would not solely belong to them.
On Tuesday, the fashion company released a press statement in response to the investigation.
"We share the scientific assessment that activities for increased biological diversity are good, but can conclude that the initiative did not get the impact we had hoped for", they write.
SVT has sought out Bianca Ingrosso, who has declined an interview and refers all questions to Gina Tricot.
