Work

The Revision of EU Greenwashing Laws: A New Framework of Analysis

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Greenwashing cases holding businesses to account for false or misleading eco-claims are an increasingly visible component of the business and human rights landscape globally. In the European Union (EU), the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive is the centrepiece of regulation for business-to-consumer claims. Within the European Green Deal initiative, the EU is revising this framework, first with the Directive to ‘Empower Consumers for the Green Transition,’ and second the pending proposal for a ‘Green Claims Directive,’ introducing detailed requirements on the substantiation and communication of ‘green claims’ to consumers. If fully adopted, this fundamental reform will impose greater restraints on the discretion of any authority charged with the assessment of green claims and provide more uniform criteria across the EU, resulting in more accurate environmental claims and greater clarity for consumers and businesses alike.

Source: Business and Human Rights Journal

DOI: 10.1017/bhj.2025.14

Authors: J. MacLennan, W. De Catelle

Institution: University of Edinburgh

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Sustainability in Business

Subfield: Marketing

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550