ECGT Is Coming for Your Sustainability Claims

What Irish businesses need to know, and do, before September 2026. From 27 September 2026, a new EU law, the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EU) 2024/825, will begin applying in practice across Member States, including Ireland. It introduces clearer rules on how environmental and sustainability claims are made, substantiated, and communicated to consumers.

By EcoVerify, Ireland’s leading sustainability assurance provider

ECGT and Sustainability Claims: What Irish Businesses Need to Know, and Do, Before September 2026

Sustainability claims are under increasing scrutiny across Europe. Consumers are more sceptical, regulators more active, and the margin for error is narrowing.

From 27 September 2026, a new EU law, the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EU) 2024/825, will begin applying in practice across Member States, including Ireland. It introduces clearer rules on how environmental and sustainability claims are made, substantiated, and communicated to consumers.

For Irish businesses, this is not about stopping sustainability marketing. It is about ensuring that claims are accurate, evidence-based, and defensible.

The companies that prepare early will gain trust and certainty. Those that do not may be forced to revisit, or withdraw, claims at short notice.

What Is ECGT? And Why It Matters in Ireland

The ECGT Directive amends two cornerstone pieces of EU consumer law:

The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (2005/29/EC)
The Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU)

Its purpose is to address misleading environmental claims (“greenwashing”) and unverified sustainability labels, while improving transparency around durability and reparability.

Ireland, like all Member States, must transpose the Directive into national law by 27 March 2026, with the rules applying from 27 September 2026.

From that point, Irish regulators will assess sustainability claims against these new standards, applying enforcement proportionately, but with clearer legal tools than ever before.

What Changes Under ECGT?

ECGT does not introduce a blanket ban on sustainability claims. Instead, it raises the evidentiary bar.

In practice, businesses will need to ensure that:

Environmental claims are specific, not vague
Claims reflect the actual impact of the product or business
Statements can be supported with credible, verifiable evidence
Sustainability labels are based on recognised certification schemes or public authorities

The overall direction is clear:
Marketing language alone is no longer sufficient.

Claims That Face the Highest Scrutiny

Certain types of claims are explicitly targeted under ECGT and should be treated as higher risk, particularly where evidence is weak or absent.

1. Generic Environmental Claims

Examples include:

“Eco-friendly”
“Green”
“Environmentally friendly”
“Sustainable”
“Conscious”

These are considered generic environmental claims. Under ECGT, they are only acceptable where a business can demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance, such as compliance with the EU Ecolabel or equivalent recognised schemes.

Without that level of substantiation, such claims may be considered misleading.

2. Carbon Neutrality and Climate Claims

ECGT significantly tightens the rules around climate-related claims.

Claims that rely solely on carbon offsetting – such as “carbon neutral” or “climate positive” – will face strong regulatory scrutiny. Offsetting may still be communicated, but offsets alone are no longer sufficient to justify neutrality claims at product level.

Any climate claim should be grounded in:

Actual lifecycle emissions data
Reductions within the value chain
Transparent explanation of methodology

3. Broad or Aspirational Sustainability Statements

Statements such as:

“We’re working towards net zero”
“On a journey to sustainability”
“Committed to a cleaner future”

are not prohibited. However, under ECGT they may be considered misleading unless supported by:

Clear, public commitments
Measurable, time-bound targets
A credible implementation plan
Independent verification of progress

What Evidence Is Typically Expected?

ECGT does not prescribe a single methodology, but regulators will expect evidence that is robust, proportionate, and verifiable.

Common forms of acceptable substantiation include:

Life Cycle Assessments (LCA)
Product Carbon Footprints (PCF)
Verified supply-chain data
Recognised third-party certifications
Independent verification reports

Crucially, evidence should exist before claims are made – not created reactively after questions arise.

What Irish Businesses Should Do Now (A Simple 3-Step Roadmap)

Step 1: Identify High-Risk Claims

Audit your:

Website
Product pages
Packaging
Sales decks
Retail listings

Flag vague, broad, or climate-related claims first.

Step 2: Assess Evidence Gaps

For each claim, ask:

What evidence supports this?
Is it current?
Would it stand up to regulator or retailer scrutiny?

If the answer is unclear, that claim needs attention.

Step 3: Verify or Refine

Either:

Strengthen claims through independent verification, or
Refine wording to reflect what can be clearly proven

This avoids last-minute disruption as enforcement approaches.

Where EcoVerify can Help – and Why It’s Different

We help Irish businesses:

Assess sustainability claims against ECGT requirements
Identify evidentiary gaps
Verify claims using recognised methodologies
Produce defensible documentation suitable for regulators, retailers, and procurement teams

We validate and verify – our results are designed to hold up under scrutiny.

Why Acting Early Is a Commercial Advantage

Companies that address ECGT readiness now benefit from:

Greater consumer trust
Increased retailer confidence
Reduced regulatory risk
Stable, future-proof marketing claims

Book a Claim Review today and start preparing with confidence.

Contact EcoVerify today to start the verification process and protect your sustainability claims before the deadline. Get in touch today at [email protected]