Climate neutrality claim: EU Parliament and Council agree to ban greenwashing

class=”sc-29f61514-0 icZBHN”>

Under the agreement reached on Wednesday night, generic advertising slogans such as “eco-friendly”, “climate neutral” or “biodegradable” should be banned unless there is reliable evidence of the advertising claims. This will make it easier for consumers to compare information on the sustainability of products.

Green MP Anna Cavazzini, chair of the responsible consumer protection committee, said: “The agreement is good news for anyone who wants to shop sustainably.” This makes “misleading advertising of so-called environmentally friendly products” impossible.

Sustainability label from well-known certification bodies

In the future, only sustainability labels issued by authorities or recognized certification bodies will be allowed. This could make things clearer for consumers because companies are no longer allowed to print their own environmental logos on their products without certification.

Each product must also contain a note regarding the warranty period. “60 percent of European consumers do not even know that every product has a legal guarantee,” said Social Democrat rapporteur Biljana Borzan. Additional labeling should be mandatory if the warranty exceeds the legal requirement of two years.

The European Parliament and Council still need to give final approval to the agreement; The vote in Parliament is planned for November. Member states then have two years to implement EU requirements.

(AFP)

Source :Blick