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The EU will ban sweeping environmental claims such as “climate neutral” or “eco” by 2026 unless companies can prove the claim is accurate, as the bloc cracks down on greenwashing of consumer products.
The rules, agreed on 19th of September 2023, will also outlaw claims based on emissions offsetting — often used as the basis for assertions that products are carbon neutral or have reduced environmental impact — along with green labels that are not from approved sustainability schemes.
The change, due to come into force by 2026, would make the EU the toughest region of the world in terms of its approach to green claims made to the public. It still requires approval from the EU parliament and member states, but it is rare for EU lawmakers to refuse that approval.