European Union to restrict generic environmental claims

The European Union is updating legislation to crack down on vague environmental claims made by companies. According to lawyer Lisanne Steenbergen of Hoogenraad & Haak, generic terms such as ‘green’, ‘environmentally friendly’, and ‘sustainable’ will be prohibited unless a company can specifically substantiate and justify the environmental benefits.

To comply with these upcoming rules, businesses must provide concrete details, such as specific percentages of environmental gain or references to underlying research via QR codes or websites. Companies may still use generic claims if they hold a recognized sustainability certification that meets stricter requirements coming into effect on September 27, 2026. The regulations also consider visual context; while green colors or leaf symbols are not banned outright, they may contribute to a prohibited generic claim if used alongside unsubstantiated environmental terms.

In the context of consumer sustainability, initiatives like Duurzaam Thuis aim to make environmental impact more understandable by using metrics such as CO2 savings converted into the number of trees saved, alongside cost and ease-of-use assessments for various products.