The EU's Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo), begins to apply September 27, 2026. It means that companies making environmental claims to consumers in the EU will need to ensure that they are clear, specific, substantiated, and supported by credible evidence.
The directive does not introduce a separate sustainability claims framework. Instead, it strengthens existing EU consumer protection rules by targeting misleading environmental claims, unreliable sustainability labels and vague expressions such as "green" or "eco-friendly" when they are not supported by recognized and relevant environmental performance. Duni Group welcomes clearer rules for sustainability communication.
For businesses, the EmpCo Directive raises the floor on sustainability-related claims to consumers. It sets a stronger minimum level for responsible communication but also encourages companies to improve the quality and credibility of the claims they make. Generic or broad claims will no longer be sufficient unless they can be properly explained and substantiated. Instead, claims should be linked to specific products, packaging, materials or verified improvements.
An important change is the restriction on sustainability labels that are not based on a certification scheme or established by public authorities. In practice, this means companies can't use own-created symbols, icons or labels that may give consumers the impression of independent verification.
"The aim is to make sustainability communication more transparent, comparable and trustworthy. Clearer rules can help reduce greenwashing, improve consumer trust, and strengthen the credibility of companies that take sustainability communication seriously. For us, this is not only about compliance, but about communicating responsibly and building long-term trust," says Erik Lindroth, Sustainability Director, Duni Group.
One of the challenges for companies operating in several EU countries is that the directive will be implemented through national legislation and enforced by local authorities. This means that similar claims, translated into different languages and used in different markets, may be interpreted differently depending on the local regulatory context.
"The subjectivity in the implementation creates a business risk and a source of uncertainty. Also, a hard deadline, rather than a transition period, makes compliance more challenging, as most companies have products that are already in distribution," says Erik Lindroth.
Some claims may be relatively clear-cut, while others will remain subject to interpretation. Questions such as what is sufficiently specific, what evidence is adequate, and how a claim is understood by the average consumer may require dialogue between companies, customers, external stakeholders, and regulators. This makes robust internal processes and careful wording essential.
"Duni Group has followed the development of EU sustainability claims regulation closely and has prepared for the proposed Green Claims Directive over the past three years. While the Green Claims Directive has been postponed to an unspecified date, the EmpCo Directive and the corresponding national laws in EU Member States are now the highest requirements industries must follow when making sustainability-related claims," says Erik Lindroth.
The EmpCo Directive raises expectations for how companies communicate environmental performance to consumers. For Duni Group, it reinforces an approach already built on scientific substantiation, specificity, internationally recognized standards, and credible certifications. By continuing to work with clear, relevant and well-supported sustainability claims, the Group can help consumers make better-informed choices and contribute to a more trustworthy market.