Today, the European Parliament (EP) and Council reached a provisional agreement on new rules to ban misleading advertisements and provide consumers with better product information.
Taking effect in 2026, this agreement will update the directive empowering consumers for the green transition in terms of banned commercial practices and problematic marketing habits related to greenwashing and early obsolescence of goods. The aim of the new rules is to protect consumers from misleading practices and help them make better and more sustainable purchasing choices.
Among others, the new provisions will include bans on:
- Generic environmental claims without proof of an excellent environmental performance relevant to the claim such as 'environmentally friendly', 'natural', 'biodegradable', 'climate neutral' or 'eco'.
- Carbon neutral claims based on emissions offsetting schemes that a product has neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment, which are highly misleading to consumers and common in the most environmentally-harmful sectors such as aviation and food.
- Sustainability labels that are not based on approved certification schemes or established by public authorities.
- Durability claims in terms of usage time or intensity under normal conditions, if not proven.
Ursula Pachl, BEUC Deputy Director General, commented: "Consumers have a crucial role to play in the green transition, so it’s good news they will have more information to make sustainable choices when buying food, new clothes or home appliances. The new EU rules will enable consumers to navigate through a sea of green claims and choose durable products that live up to expectations. Generic environmental claims are popping up everywhere, from food to textiles. Consumers end up lost in a jungle of green claims with no clue about which ones are trustworthy. Thankfully, the new rules are putting some order in the green claims’ chaos. Companies will have to explain why a product is environmentally friendly. This is crucial if we are to guide consumers to make more sustainable consumption choices. A ban on carbon neutral claims is great news for consumers. There is no such thing as 'carbon neutral' or 'CO2 neutral' cheese, plastic bottles, flights or bank accounts. Carbon neutral claims are greenwashing, plain and simple. It's a smoke screen giving the impression companies are taking serious action on their climate impact. The truth is that these claims are scientifically incorrect and should never be used."
Source: EP & BEUC
More information and BEUC press release