Well-known South African petrol station brand under siege over diesel claims

TotalEnergies is in hot water over its claim that its Excellium Diesel D10 improves engine performance and delivers environmental benefits.

TotalEnergies Marketing South Africa, formerly known as Total South Africa, has a long history of providing products and services in the country.

It is a prominent player in South Africa’s downstream petroleum and energy market with over 500 service stations and convenience stores.

It operates as the South African marketing and distribution affiliate of the French multinational energy giant, TotalEnergies.

It is owned 50.1% by TotalEnergies SE, via Netherlands- and African-holding structures, and 49.9% by South African shareholders.

Major local minority shareholders include Johann Rupert’s Remgro and a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment consortium.

TotalEnergies Marketing South Africa offers numerous products in South Africa, including fuels, lubricants, and gas.

One of its products is Excellium Diesel 10, which it promotes as offering improved efficiency and environmental benefits.

• More Kilometres: Using Excellium Diesel D10 will result in more kilometres, as it is specifically engineered to provide superior fuel efficiency

• Lower CO₂ emissions: Reduce polluting emissions by improving your engine’s performance.

• Longer Engine lifespan: The fuel contains special additives and detergents that help to keep the engine cleaner and prevent the formation of engine deposits.

“By using this advanced diesel product, the wear and tear on the engine components are reduced, resulting in a longer and more reliable engine life,” it states.

Advertising Regulatory Board complaint

A consumer organisation lodged a complaint against TotalEnergies Marketing South Africa’s Excellium Diesel 10’s claims with the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB).

It argued that the claims are presented to consumers without the necessary context, limitations, or substantiation, and are therefore potentially misleading.

“There is no reference to the baseline fuel for comparison, no mention of the vehicle type, driving conditions, or geographic context,” it said.

The organisation said these claims constitute “greenwashing” as diesel is a fossil fuel with inherent CO₂ emissions. It added that any efficiency gains are marginal and test-specific, not a fundamental change in environmental impact.

TotalEnergies Marketing South Africa responded, saying that the claims on its website are clear and not misleading. It highlighted that it holds documentary evidence, providing information on the context of the test conducted.

This information is public and easily accessible on the EcoSolutions webpage dedicated to Excellium Diesel.

It said the results were obtained from open-road Real Driving Emissions tests conducted by the independent APL laboratory in Germany in 2021.

However, the ARB was not convinced and ruled against TotalEnergies Marketing South Africa.

“There is no asterisk or disclaimer indicating that the lower CO2 emissions are based on a particular test on a particular vehicle,” the ARB said.

“Consumers are not alerted in any way to the relevant tests, the limitations of the claim, or the relevance of the claim to their own vehicles.”

The ARB said TotalEnergies must include the relevant asterisk or disclaimer and make the information easily accessible to consumers.

It said TotalEnergies Marketing South Africa was in breach of the advertising code and instructed its members not to accept advertising with these claims.