Greenwashing
ENI and Greenwashing Accusations: A Controversial Track Record
ENI, one of Europe’s largest energy companies, has repeatedly faced accusations of greenwashing from environmental organisations, climate campaigners, and consumer advocates.
These criticisms do not concern a single incident, but rather a broader pattern of marketing and communications that allegedly overstate the environmental benefits of its products and climate strategy.
The Diesel+ case: misleading “green” advertising
One of the most well-known cases dates back to ENI’s “Diesel+” campaign, where the company promoted fuel containing a small share of bio-based components as environmentally friendly.
In 2020, the Italian Competition Authority fined ENI €5 million, ruling that the advertising was misleading. The authority argued that the use of terms like “green diesel” created a false impression of environmental benefit, because the product remained fundamentally a fossil fuel with limited bio-content.
The case became one of Italy’s most cited early greenwashing rulings.
Although ENI later challenged the decision, and parts of the legal interpretation were debated in court, the case significantly shaped public discussion around corporate environmental claims.
Climate litigation and broader greenwashing claims
Beyond advertising, ENI has also been targeted in climate litigation cases.
In 2023, environmental groups including Greenpeace Italy and ReCommon filed a lawsuit accusing ENI of contributing to climate change while simultaneously engaging in lobbying and communications that amount to greenwashing.
The claim is not only about specific advertisements, but about the broader contradiction between:
- continued fossil fuel expansion
- and messaging focused on sustainability and transition branding
Financial “sustainability” accusations
More recently, criticism has extended into financial markets.
NGOs have also argued that some sustainability-linked financing structures involving ENI allow banks and the company to present fossil fuel expansion strategies as aligned with climate goals.
This has added a second layer to the debate: not only product-level greenwashing, but also “financial greenwashing” through ESG-linked instruments.
ENI’s position
ENI consistently rejects the greenwashing label, arguing that:
- its transition strategy is based on measurable targets
- biofuel components and investments are scientifically validated
- and legal rulings have in some cases overturned earlier findings
Conclusion
Whether viewed through advertising, litigation, or financial structuring, ENI has become one of the most frequently cited European examples in debates around greenwashing.
The company strongly disputes these accusations, but environmental groups argue that the gap between fossil fuel operations and sustainability messaging remains structurally unresolved.
Italian oil major Eni made history by being the first in the country to be prosecuted for greenwashing.
ENI - SLAPP 