General Motors, manufacturers of the controversial Hummer H3 4x4, was told to remove any claims of fuel efficiency from their advertising materials. This follows a complaint to the Advertising Standards Agency by Friends of the Earth Scotland, members of the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s, and several NGOs. The motor giant's newspaper adverts claimed the H3 was a fuel efficient vehicle. However, the Hummer H3 is one of the least fuel efficient vehicles on the market.
According to Duncan McLaren, Chief Executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, "The notion that a gas-guzzling monster like a Hummer could be regarded as in any way "fuel-efficient" is laughable. We're pleased that GM have responded promptly to the threat of an ASA ruling, and pulled the claim. However, it remains the case that such climate trashing vehicles can still be advertised without any environmental or health warning. This would ensure consumers were properly informed of the risks such vehicles pose."
The advert claimed that the vehicle has "Half the calories. All the flavour" and that is was "Built for UK roads, it's smaller, fuel efficient...".
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