It is particularly important to prohibit claims based on offsetting greenhouse gas emissions that claim that a product, whether a good or service, has a neutral, reduced, or positive impact on the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Such claims should be prohibited in all circumstances and be added to the list in Annex I of Directive 2005/29/EC because they lead consumers to believe that such claims relate to the product itself or to the supply and production of that product, or because they give consumers the false impression that the consumption of that product has no environmental impact. Examples of such claims include “climate neutral,” “certifiedcarbonneutral,” “carbon positive,” “climate net zero,” “climate offset,” “ reduced climate impact,” and “reducedcarbon footprint.” Such claims should only be allowed if they are based on the actual life cycle impact of the product in question and not on offsetting greenhouse gas emissions outside the product value chain, as the former and the latter are not equivalent. This prohibition should not prevent companies from advertising their investments in environmental initiatives, including carbon credit projects, as long as they provide such information in a way that is not misleading and complies with the requirements set out in EU law.
Last modified on 10/01/2025