In a huge stride toward marketing transparency, the European Union is set to ban several misleading environmental claims by 2026.
This decision, voted on by members of the European Parliament (MEPs), aims to prohibit terms such as "climate neutral" or "climate positive" that rely on offsetting, cracking down on deceptive advertising practices, as reported by the Guardian.
According to the outlet, typically unregulated terms like "environmentally friendly," "natural," "biodegradable," "climate neutral," or "eco" without evidence will also be subject to this new ruling, and companies will have to prove their eco-friendliness through approved certification in order to use such language in their labels.
This significant step comes after months of negotiations and reflects a growing awareness of the environmental impact of rising temperatures across the globe.
"This new legislation puts an end to misleading advertising for supposedly environmentally friendly products and thus enables consumers to make sustainable choices," said Anna Cavazzini, MEP and chair of the Committee of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. "This is a great success for the environment, the climate and consumers."
The EU is setting a positive example for the rest of the world by requiring more honest promotional practices for products and services rather than greenwashing, a tactic in which companies make false or exaggerated claims about how eco-friendly their products or practices are.
This decision also contributes to a world of more informed consumer decision-making, promoting genuine environmental responsibility and doing more to ensure that planet-friendly claims are backed by credible evidence.
By ditching the misleading labels and signage, shoppers who want to make more Earth-conscious choices can actually support brands that are implementing eco-friendly initiatives like plastic-free packaging or material recycling programs.
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"Today marks the end of outlandish and baseless advertisements that tell European consumers that they can take carbon-neutral flights, wear carbon-neutral clothes, and eat carbon-neutral food," policy expert on global carbon markets Lindsay Otis stated to the Guardian.
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