EU Greenwashing Proposal

On March 22nd, the European Commission announced that they are proposing common criteria against greenwashing and misleading environmental claims. This proposal will allow consumers to have more clarity, better quality information to choose environment-friendly products and services and overall stronger reassurance that when something is sold as green, it actually is green.

BUSINESS BENEFITS

Businesses will also benefit from this proposal, as those that make a genuine effort to improve the environmental sustainability of their products will be more easily recognised and rewarded by consumers and able to boost their sales – as opposed to facing unfair competition. This way, the proposal will help establish a level playing field when it comes to information about environmental performance of products.

Greenwashing has been a widespread problem in the EU, with a recent study revealing that more than 40% of companies making environmental claims were accused of greenwashing. This is a serious concern as it undermines consumer trust and hinders the transition towards a more sustainable economy. Not only does the absence of common rules for companies making voluntary green claims lead to ‘greenwashing' but it also creates an uneven playing field in the EU's market.

NO MORE GREEN CLAIMS WITHOUT SUBSTANTIATING

From now on, when companies choose to make a ‘green claim' about their products or services, they will be required to respect minimum norms on how they substantiate these claims and how they communicate them. This is a significant step forward in the EU's efforts to achieve its ambitious climate goals and build a more sustainable future for all.

We believe that transparency and accountability are key to driving positive change in the industry, don’t you agree?