Green Claims: Regulatory And Litigation Focus Intensifies In The EU And UK

This article reviews the sharp escalation in regulatory scrutiny of environmental and sustainability‑related claims towards consumers across the EU and the UK, highlighting how 2026 is set to become a defining year for greenwashing enforcement.

In the EU, the upcoming Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive, together with the Commission's detailed November 2025 Questions and Answers, introduces far stricter standards for substantiating environmental claims, restricting generic terminology, sustainability labels, and even brand or product names that imply environmental benefits without robust evidence. Member States have already intensified enforcement, targeting claims about carbon neutrality, circularity and sustainability across aviation, fashion, logistics, and consumer goods.