EU greenwashing rules to take effect across bloc on Sept 27

September 14, 2026 at 12:32 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

New EU rules banning unsubstantiated environmental claims on products will take effect across the bloc on September 27, 2026. Companies will be required to provide evidence before using terms such as 'eco-friendly', 'green', or 'biodegradable' in advertising or on packaging.

Key Facts

The new EU rules will apply from September 27, 2026, across all member states.
Companies will be prohibited from using general environmental claims such as 'eco-friendly', 'green', 'ecological', or 'biodegradable' without providing substantiation.
Sustainability labels will need to be based on a reliable certification system or be established by public authorities.
Claims like 'climate neutral', 'CO2 neutral', or 'reduced climate impact' based on carbon offsetting will no longer be allowed.
Misleading statements about product durability or repairability will be treated as unfair commercial practices.

Scope of the Regulation

The new rules cover not only advertising claims but also environmental statements and sustainability labels on product packaging. A company wishing to make a general environmental claim will need to be able to demonstrate its basis. For example, if only the packaging of a product is made from recycled material, the company cannot use an environmental claim that implies the entire product has that attribute. Similarly, an environmental advantage based on a specific feature cannot be attributed to the whole product or to all of the company's activities.

Prohibited Claims and Offsetting

Companies will not be allowed to market a product as 'climate neutral', 'CO2 neutral', or 'with reduced climate impact' on the grounds that they have offset greenhouse gas emissions through other projects. The rules also target misleading statements about product durability and repairability. Presenting a product as having a lifespan or repair options it does not actually have will be considered an unfair commercial practice.

Implementation and Objectives

The regulation will be applied across the European Union from September 27, 2026. The aim is to ensure that environmental claims encountered by consumers while shopping are based on more concrete and verifiable information. Companies are expected to move away from marketing methods that portray products as more environmentally friendly than they actually are.