Coca-Cola Wins in Greenwashing Suits Show Hazy Marketing Limits

The food and beverage industry is navigating uncharted waters as their climate claims are picked apart in a flood of lawsuits over what qualifies as “sustainable” and “recyclable” products.

As a result, amid a lack of regulatory guidance, companies are grappling with mixed judicial opinions in various jurisdictions on what they can and can’t say about their climate impact. Coca-Cola won two lawsuits recently—one in California and another in the District of Columbia—where judges found that the beverage giant’s environmental statements weren’t misleading to consumers.

Earth Island Institute, the organization that brought the lawsuit in the Superior Court for the ...