The reference

Green claims you can no longer make

Each entry is one practice restricted or banned by EmpCo, with a claim that fails and a rewrite that works.

Generic environmental claims without proof

Generic praise cannot be verified by a consumer, so the directive treats it as misleading unless you hold recognised excellent performance, such as an EU Ecolabel.

Making a generic environmental claim for which you cannot demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance relevant to the claim is banned outright.

Don't say this

"Eco-friendly", "green", "climate-conscious", "kind to nature" – used on their own, on pack or in an ad.

Say this instead

"Made with 87% recycled aluminium (measured by weight, 2025 production)." Specific, measurable, tied to one attribute.

Carbon neutrality based on offsetting

Offsetting does not change the product's own footprint, so presenting it as neutrality misleads the consumer about the product itself.

Claiming a product or business has a neutral, reduced or positive environmental impact on emissions because you buy offsets is banned.

Don't say this

"Climate neutral delivery", "CO2-neutral product", "carbon neutral since 2022" where the basis is purchased credits.

Say this instead

"We cut product emissions 31% since 2019 and fund forest restoration separately." Report reductions and contributions as two different things.

Whole-product claims based on one aspect

Partial improvements presented as total improvements exaggerate the benefit, which is the classic definition of greenwashing.

You cannot claim a benefit for the whole product, or the whole business, when it only concerns a certain aspect of it.

Don't say this

"Sustainable packaging" printed as "Sustainable product" – or a recycled cap making the whole bottle "recycled".

Say this instead

"Cap made from 100% recycled plastic. Bottle body is virgin PET." Scope the claim to the part it actually covers.

Sustainability labels without a certification scheme

Self-awarded badges look like independent certification to shoppers, which the directive treats as inherently misleading.

Displaying a sustainability label that is not based on a certification scheme, and is not established by public authorities, is banned.

Don't say this

A self-designed leaf badge reading "Green Choice" created by your own brand team.

Say this instead

EU Ecolabel, Nordic Swan, or a third-party scheme with published criteria, independent verification and public monitoring.

Presenting legal requirements as a distinctive feature

Compliance is the floor, not an advantage. Framing it as a differentiator misleads consumers about the market.

Presenting requirements imposed by law on all products in the category as a distinctive feature of your offer is banned.

Don't say this

"Now free from [substance already banned in the EU]" or "Our product is REACH compliant – unlike others."

Say this instead

Drop the claim, or state the fact neutrally without implying it sets you apart.

Vague claims about future environmental performance

Aspirational dates influence purchase decisions today, so the directive requires the plan and the monitoring to exist now.

Environmental claims about future performance need clear, objective, publicly available and verifiable commitments, a detailed and realistic implementation plan, and independent third-party monitoring.

Don't say this

"Net zero by 2040" with nothing published behind it.

Say this instead

"Net zero by 2040: interim −50% by 2030 against a 2019 baseline, plan published, progress verified annually by [third party]."

Voluntary practices presented as distinctive

Uniqueness claims that are not unique distort the consumer's ability to compare offers.

Presenting a voluntary practice as distinctive when other traders in the market do the same thing is banned.

Don't say this

"Uniquely, our cartons are recyclable" in a category where every carton is recyclable.

Say this instead

Claim only what genuinely differentiates you, and be ready to show the market comparison.

Hiding limited durability and update-related lifespan

Durability is now treated as consumer information, not a technical footnote.

You may not withhold information that a good has a feature limiting its durability, and you may not present goods as allowing updates when they do not, or omit that an update will reduce functionality.

Don't say this

Selling a device with a designed-in consumable lock-out without saying so, or shipping an update that slows the device without disclosure.

Say this instead

Disclose durability-limiting features and the effects of updates in the product information, before purchase.

Repairability and premature replacement

The directive extends consumer protection from what a product is to how long it can stay useful.

Presenting goods as repairable when they are not, withholding that they cannot be repaired in line with legal requirements, and inducing consumers to replace or refill consumables earlier than technically necessary are all banned.

Don't say this

A repairability icon on a glued, non-serviceable product, or a "replace after 3 months" prompt on a part that lasts a year.

Say this instead

State real repair options, spare-part availability and honest replacement intervals.