EU introduces new anti-greenwashing rules

September 28, 2026

The European Union has begun applying new consumer protection rules designed to curb greenwashing, strengthen transparency around environmental claims and give shoppers clearer information about product durability.

The Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) introduces stricter requirements for sustainability marketing across the EU. The legislation targets misleading environmental claims, unreliable sustainability labels, hidden product obsolescence and unsupported promises about future climate performance.

Adopted by EU lawmakers in 2024, the directive strengthens existing consumer protection legislation and aims to make it easier for people to distinguish credible sustainability information from vague or unsubstantiated marketing.

EU targets misleading environmental claims

One of the central objectives of the ECGT Directive is to restrict the use of broad environmental claims that companies cannot adequately substantiate.

Generic terms such as “environmentally friendly,” “green,” or “biodegradable” can no longer be used without sufficient evidence demonstrating that the claim is justified.

The rules also address claims suggesting that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on greenhouse gas emissions when those statements rely on carbon offsetting schemes.

The measures respond to longstanding concerns over the reliability of environmental marketing in Europe. Research previously cited by the European Commission indicated that more than half of environmental claims examined in the EU were vague, misleading or lacked sufficient clarity, while around 40% were unsupported by evidence.

Stricter rules for sustainability labels

The directive also seeks to reduce confusion caused by the growing number of environmental and sustainability labels appearing on products.

Under the new framework, sustainability labels generally need to be based on recognised certification schemes or established by public authorities.

The goal is to prevent businesses from creating labels or symbols that give consumers the impression of independent environmental certification when no credible verification system exists behind them.

Clearer standards could make it easier for shoppers to compare products and identify sustainability information supported by recognised criteria.

Product durability and repairability come into focus

The ECGT Directive goes beyond environmental advertising by introducing measures intended to encourage longer product lifespans and support the EU's transition toward a circular economy.

Businesses will be required to make information about legal guarantees more visible to consumers. A harmonised EU label will also be introduced to highlight products that offer extended commercial guarantees.

The legislation additionally prohibits several practices related to premature product replacement and misleading durability claims.

Companies cannot make unsupported statements about how long products will last, encourage consumers to replace consumable components earlier than necessary or market products as repairable when they cannot actually be repaired.

These measures are intended to help consumers make purchasing decisions based not only on price and performance but also on expected lifespan and repairability.

Future climate pledges face greater scrutiny

Companies promoting future environmental achievements will also face stricter requirements.

Businesses making forward-looking sustainability or climate claims will need to support them with a detailed, realistic and publicly accessible implementation plan.

Such plans must include measurable and time-bound targets as well as information about the resources allocated to achieving them. Progress toward these commitments must also be subject to regular verification by an independent third-party expert.

The requirements are designed to prevent companies from using distant climate targets as marketing tools without demonstrating a credible strategy for achieving them.

ECGT strengthens existing EU consumer lLaws

Rather than creating an entirely separate consumer protection system, the ECGT Directive amends existing EU legislation, including the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD) and the Consumer Rights Directive (CRD).

The changes integrate environmental transition and circular economy considerations into rules that already govern how businesses communicate with consumers.

As a result, sustainability claims increasingly fall within the EU's broader consumer protection framework rather than operating as a largely voluntary area of corporate marketing.

Part of the EU's wider sustainable product strategy

The ECGT Directive forms part of a broader package of European measures aimed at improving product sustainability and reducing misleading environmental communication.

The package also includes the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, which provides a framework for introducing sustainability requirements across a wide range of product categories.

Implementation of the ecodesign framework is continuing through a multi-year process.

A separate proposed Green Claims Directive, intended to establish more detailed requirements for substantiating and communicating explicit environmental claims, has faced delays. Work on the proposal was effectively paused amid concerns about its potential impact on smaller businesses, and its future remains unresolved.

The ECGT rules, however, now provide consumers and businesses with a strengthened framework governing environmental marketing, sustainability labels, product durability and climate-related commitments.

For companies operating in the European market, the changes mean that environmental messaging will increasingly need to be supported by verifiable evidence, transparent methodologies and credible implementation plans. For consumers, the rules are intended to make sustainability information more reliable and reduce the risk of being misled by unsupported green marketing.