Starting at the end of September, the European Green Claims Directive will come into effect, preventing unverified eco-claims on product packaging. However, there remains considerable confusion among merchants and manufacturers about the specifics of the directive and the guidelines for compliance. A study conducted by the European Commission five years ago revealed that more than half of the environmental claims made on packaging were, in fact, misleading, underscoring the urgency of clarifying the new regulations.

Communication Director of Coop Eesti Keskühistu, Siiri Liiva, noted the difficulty consumers face in discerning the authenticity of environmental labels, pointing out that some labels are created by the manufacturers themselves, while others are sanctioned by third parties or are widely recognized standards. This lack of clarity complicates the efforts to ensure that consumers can trust the claims being made about products.

The new requirements set to be enforced in September aim to delineate which environmental claims and labels will be prohibited, mandating that all claims must be certified by an independent party. As businesses prepare for compliance, the need for clear guidance becomes increasingly vital, as confusion over the existing regulations could lead to further misleading practices in the market.