Sustainable consumption will become easier across the EU, as the Directive on Empowering Consumers in the Green Transition comes into effect today. The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) welcomes the new rules and calls on EU governments to apply them promptly. 

The law aims to defend consumers from greenwashing tactics by  prohibiting a series of unfair and dishonest marketing practices that make it difficult to choose the most sustainable option. 

Three out of four products on the EU market carry an implicit or explicit green claim, yet over half of these claims are vague, misleading or unfounded, while almost half of the 230 ecolabels available in the EU have very weak or no verification procedures. This has caused distrust and confusion among consumers, with the majority feeling unable to tell legitimate green claims from greenwashing. 

The new Empowering Consumers Directive will help cut through the smoke. Notably, it bans “climate neutral” claims on products when they are based on carbon offsets, outlawing some of the most misleading green claims on the market. 

It also restricts generic green credentials such as “eco” or “green”, unless the entire product is truly greener than conventional ones, and certified by a trustworthy scheme like the EU Ecolabel – the official EU label for environmental excellence, certifying goods and services with a guaranteed lower environmental impact from production to disposal. 

Sustainability labels will have to be based on a certification scheme including independent verification to ensure their credibility and reliability. 

The law also aims to limit premature obsolescence tactics that force consumers to exchange their products for new ones earlier than necessary. For example, traders may no longer advertise products if they know these contain a feature limiting their lifespan. There will also be a new “GARAN label” that traders can use to highlight when they offer a longer guarantee than the legal minimum for free. This should make more durable products stand out from the rest. 

Miriam Thiemann, Senior Policy Officer for Sustainable Consumption at the EEB, said: “This law is a win for consumers, green frontrunners, and planet alike. Now it’s up to companies to step up and adapt proactively. But we also need strong enforcement nationally to ensure the new rules are followed across the EU.” 

Two years from its adoption, too many Member States are late at integrating the Empowering Consumers Directive into national law, delaying the benefits the law can bring to national consumers. The EEB calls on all EU governments to transpose and start applying the new rules with no further delay.