Tyson Foods has agreed to stop claiming it will reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and to halt some 'climate-friendly' beef marketing as part of a settlement with the Environmental Working Group. The lawsuit highlighted products such as Brazen Beef and a USDA-backed claim of a 10% emissions reduction. Tyson denies wrongdoing and says it has invested over $65 million to reduce beef-related emissions; the settlement bars the contested claims for five years unless independently verified.
Tyson to Stop Net‑Zero and 'Climate‑Friendly' Beef Claims in Settlement with Environmental Group
Tyson Foods has agreed to stop claiming it will reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and to halt some 'climate-friendly' beef marketing as part of a settlement with the Environmental Working Group. The lawsuit highlighted products such as Brazen Beef and a USDA-backed claim of a 10% emissions reduction. Tyson denies wrongdoing and says it has invested over $65 million to reduce beef-related emissions; the settlement bars the contested claims for five years unless independently verified.
02:20 AM, 11/18/2025Environment
CHICAGO — Tyson Foods has agreed to stop claiming it will achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and to cease marketing some beef as 'climate-friendly' as part of a settlement with the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG), the group said on Monday.
The 2024 lawsuit filed by EWG accused the U.S. meatpacker of misleading consumers through advertising, including a Tyson product line called Brazen Beef and a claim that the product demonstrated a 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions during production compared with other beef, a claim the group said was supported by U.S. Department of Agriculture approval.
Under the settlement, Tyson agreed not to repeat those specific claims or introduce new, similar claims for five years unless the assertions are independently verified by an expert mutually approved by both parties. The agreement, provided by EWG, says Tyson denies the group's allegations.
'This settlement reinforces the principle that consumers deserve honesty and accountability from the corporations shaping our food system,' said Caroline Leary, general counsel and chief operating officer of the Environmental Working Group.
A company spokesperson said the decision to settle was made 'solely to avoid the expense and distraction of ongoing litigation and does not represent any admission of wrongdoing by Tyson Foods.' The settlement also noted that Tyson has invested more than $65 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to its beef products.
The case is part of a broader wave of litigation and regulatory scrutiny over so-called 'greenwashing,' where companies are accused of overstating environmental benefits. This month, New York Attorney General Letitia James said meatpacker JBS USA agreed to pay $1.1 million to settle allegations it misled the public with a pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. In October, a French court found that oil major TotalEnergies misled consumers with a 2021 ad campaign claiming it could become carbon neutral by 2050.
The settlement limits Tyson's marketing claims for the near term while underscoring growing legal scrutiny of environmental marketing across multiple industries.
(Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Will Dunham)