European Union to ban vague environmental claims by 2026

Starting September 27, 2026, new European Union regulations will strictly limit the use of vague environmental claims in advertising and packaging to combat greenwashing. Under Directive (EU) 2024/825, companies will be prohibited from using generic terms such as ‘climate neutral’, ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘ecological’, or ‘green’ unless they can provide specific, verifiable evidence of outstanding environmental performance.

To comply, businesses must move away from broad statements and instead provide concrete data. For example, while claiming a package is ‘climate friendly’ may be banned, stating that ‘100% of the energy used to produce this packaging comes from renewable sources’ is permitted if it is truthful and verifiable.

The regulations also impact how labels like ‘vegan’ are used. While stating a product is vegan to indicate the absence of animal ingredients remains allowed, using the term alongside nature imagery or phrases that imply broader environmental benefits may require formal certification. Notably, there is no transition period for existing stock, meaning current bottles, boxes, and labels must also meet these new standards.