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Generic environmental claims such as “eco-friendly”

Screening information, not legal advice and not a compliance assessment. Read the official text and ask an adviser about your shop.

Annex I, point 4a

The list of unfair commercial practices (Annex I to Directive 2005/29/EC, as amended by Directive (EU) 2024/825) includes generic environmental claims where the trader cannot demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance relevant to the claim. Recital 9 gives examples.

Examples from recital 9 of Directive (EU) 2024/825 and the Danish Ombudsman list (abridged).

“environmentally friendly”, “eco-friendly”, “nature’s friend”, “ecological”, “environmentally correct”, “climate friendly”, “gentle on the environment”, “carbon friendly”, “biodegradable”, “biobased”

What the scan flags

Words from the recital 9 list and the Danish Consumer Ombudsman guidance (for example eco-friendly, climate friendly), noting whether a specification or scheme appears in the same sentence.

What the scan cannot do

The scan reads text on public pages. It cannot judge documentation, certificates or context, and it never says a wording is allowed.

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Up to 5 pages. You see the first flags.

Source

Official text: Directive (EU) 2024/825

See also