Be careful with sustainability claims

By Linda van Waveren

From September 2026, the European EmpCo Directive will come into force. This legislation introduces stricter requirements for sustainability claims and is intended to prevent misleading practices (greenwashing). Several customers are already raising questions about EmpCo.

Under EmpCo, claims such as “sustainable”, “eco-friendly”, “environmentally friendly” or “bee-friendly” may only be used if they can be substantiated and verified. This also applies to claims made on packaging, including sleeves, pots and plant labels.

Formally, EmpCo applies to B2C communications: anything that consumers see and that may influence their purchasing decisions, such as packaging, labels, websites and retail communications. This also includes social media where content is aimed wholly or partly at consumers. This means that posts on platforms such as Instagram may also fall within the scope of these rules.

This means two things:

1. Your own communications must be accurate and properly substantiated (for example campaigns, websites and social media).
2. Claims provided and passed on through suppliers in the supply chain must be critically assessed – including within the wholesale sector.

What should you do?

• Review existing claims critically, particularly online and on packaging.
• Avoid vague terms that cannot be substantiated.
• Ensure supporting evidence and data are available where required.
• Inform suppliers and/or engage with them regarding the claims they make.
• Demonstrate to customers that we are taking this topic seriously.

For more information about the EmpCo Directive, see the link.