environmentally friendly product

The European Commission wants to combat widespread greenwashing in advertising and promote reliable environmental information with a new directive on competition and consumer laws. The goal is to protect consumers from often misleading adverts boasting the environmental benefits of products with labels such as ‘eco’, ‘sustainable’, ‘climate neutral’ or ‘recyclable’.

Increasing numbers of customers are paying attention to products’ environmental compatibility. How can and should businesses draw attention to the environmental benefits of their products? When can a product be described as "water-saving” or “recyclable”, for instance?

The environmental and health impacts associated with products – from the pre-manufacturing stages through to production itself, distribution, use and disposal – are becoming more and more important on the path to sustainable development.