You've seen the labels. Eco-friendly. Natural. Green. Carbon neutral. Sustainable. They appear on everything from shampoo bottles to furniture to food packaging. And most of them mean nothing.
The EU's own research found that 53% of environmental claims on products are vague, misleading, or unfounded. The words are marketing, not meaning.
That changes in September 2026.
## What the Directive Does
The EU Green Claims Directive (formally Directive 2024/825) is a consumer protection law that takes effect on 27 September 2026. It amends two existing directives — the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the Consumer Rights Directive — to regulate environmental claims on products sold in the EU.
In plain language: if a product makes an environmental claim, that claim must be backed by evidence, verified by a third party, and specific enough to be meaningful.
### What Gets Banned
**Generic claims without substantiation.** You cannot label a product eco-friendly, green, natural, or sustainable without providing specific, verifiable evidence for what those words mean in this context. A product isn't eco-friendly because it's made from one recycled ingredient — the claim must apply to the product's actual environmental impact.
**Carbon-neutral claims based on offsets.** A product cannot call itself carbon neutral or climate neutral if the claim relies solely on purchasing carbon offsets. The carbon reduction must be direct and measurable, not purchased from a third-party project.
**Misleading sustainability labels.** Self-created labels that look like certifications but aren't backed by recognised standards are prohibited. If a company creates its own 5-leaf or 3-drop system without independent verification, it's no longer legal.
**Claims about future performance.** A product cannot claim it will be carbon-neutral by 2030 unless there's a credible, verified plan. Aspirational claims without substance are banned.
### What's Allowed
**Specific, verified claims.** A product can say it contains 80% post-consumer recycled content — if that's true and verifiable. It can say it's certified compostable by TUV Austria — if it holds that certification. It can say its supply chain is audited by ECOVADIS — if it is.
**Recognised certifications.** Claims backed by established, independent certification schemes — EU Organic, COSMOS, FSC, GOTS, OK Compost HOME — are compliant because the certification itself provides the substantiation.
**Comparative claims.** A product can claim it uses 40% less water than a competitor — if the comparison is accurate, the methodology is disclosed, and the data is verifiable.
## What This Means for Shoppers
The directive doesn't change what you buy. It changes what you can trust.
Before September 2026, a product could slap eco on the label and face little consequence. After September 2026, that label must be backed by evidence — or removed.
For conscious shoppers, this is the regulatory equivalent of what we've been doing manually for years: separating genuine claims from greenwashing. The directive makes greenwashing legally risky, which means the marketplace will gradually clean itself up.
## How to Shop Under the New Rules
The directive doesn't give you a cheat sheet. It gives you a framework. Here's how to use it:
### 1. Look for Recognised Certifications, Not Self-Made Labels
Trust certifications that are independently audited, internationally recognised, and transparent about their criteria:
- **TUV Austria OK Compost HOME** — verifies that a product is home-compostable (breaks down in garden conditions, not just industrial facilities) - **EU Organic** — verifies organic production standards across the EU - **COSMOS** — standard for organic and natural cosmetics - **FSC** — verifies responsible forestry and paper sourcing - **GOTS** — global standard for organic textiles - **ECOVADIS** — rates corporate sustainability practices across supply chains
If a product displays one of these certifications, the environmental claim behind it has been independently verified. If it displays a self-made label with no certifying body, be sceptical.
### 2. Ask for Specificity
Sustainable is a vague word. Made from 92% post-consumer recycled aluminium, manufactured in a facility powered by 100% renewable energy, verified by ECOVADIS Gold is specific.
Specific claims are verifiable. Vague claims are not. Under the directive, vague claims are illegal.
### 3. Check the Source
Who made the claim? The company itself? A third-party auditor? An industry body? Independent verification matters more than the claim itself.
A product claiming to be plastic-free is more trustworthy when verified by an independent body than when the company simply asserts it on its website.
### 4. Watch for Offset-Based Claims
Carbon neutral is the most common offset-based claim. It means the company calculated its emissions and purchased credits to offset them — often through tree-planting or renewable energy projects that may or may not deliver the promised carbon reduction.
The directive bans offset-based carbon-neutral claims on products. If a product still says carbon neutral after September 2026, the claim must be based on direct emission reductions, not offsets.
### 5. Look for What's Not Claimed
Sometimes the absence of a claim is more honest than its presence. A product that doesn't call itself eco-friendly but provides clear, specific information about its materials, certifications, and supply chain is often more trustworthy than one that leads with a big green label.
## How Grown. Approaches the Directive
Grown. was built around the premise that environmental claims should mean something — before the directive made that legally required.
Every product on the platform is verified against specific, recognised certifications before it's listed. If a product claims to be compostable, it holds TUV Austria OK Compost HOME or equivalent. If it claims to be organic, it holds EU Organic or COSMOS certification.
We don't use generic environmental claims. We don't use offset-based carbon neutrality. We don't self-certify. Every claim points to a recognised standard and a verifiable audit.
The Green Claims Directive doesn't change what we do — it validates the approach.
## The Practical Takeaway
The directive is good news for shoppers. It means the labels on products will gradually become more meaningful. It means greenwashing carries legal risk. It means companies that invested in genuine certifications and supply chain transparency will stand out.
Your role as a shopper doesn't change much. Look for recognised certifications. Favour specific claims over vague ones. Be sceptical of self-made labels. And trust products that tell you what they are — honestly, specifically, and without the green.
The era of eco as a cost-free marketing claim is ending. That's worth celebrating.