The EmpCo Directive (Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition, Directive (EU) 2024/825 – EmpCo Directive) is an EU directive that prohibits misleading environmental and sustainability claims in commercial practices. It has been in force since March 2024 and will become binding in Germany from 27 September 2026.
The directive applies to all businesses that offer products or services in the EU – including suppliers that sell items via Unite.
In practical terms, this means that environmental and sustainability claims must be specific, substantiated and clearly defined. Generic terms such as ‘sustainable’, ‘green’ or ‘environmentally friendly’ will no longer be permitted without specific evidence and a clear point of reference. This applies to all product content that suppliers provide via Unite.
Outside the EU, there are also requirements for clear, truthful and substantiated environmental and climate-related claims:
In the United Kingdom, in particular under the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) Green Claims Code
In Switzerland, under the Federal Act against Unfair Competition (UWG)
Please review your product content on Unite and update it where necessary.
Please review your product descriptions for environmental and sustainability claims. The relevant catalogue field is Description_Long. You can find the technical specifications for this field in the article Overview of catalogue structure.
Every environmental or sustainability claim in your product description must meet the following requirements:
Specific: The claim clearly states what exactly is meant, such as a specific material, production process or certification.
Substantiated: The claim must be supported by evidence, such as a certificate, rating or audit report.
Up to date: The evidence is still valid.
Clearly defined: The claim must make clear what it applies to, such as the product, packaging or a specific production step.
Comparative claims, such as ‘50% less CO₂’ or ‘more sustainable than the market average’, are only permitted if the comparison group, period, data basis and methodology are clearly stated.
Future-facing claims, such as ‘climate-neutral by 2030’, are only permitted if there is a specific implementation plan with measurable interim targets.
Minimum legal requirements must not be highlighted as a special environmental feature. Requirements that are already required by law do not count as sustainability performance.
Seals and labels may only be stated if they are based on a recognised, independent certification scheme. Proprietary badges or labels without an independent verification basis are not permitted.
Examples of recognised certifications
Blue Angel
EU Ecolabel
Green Button
FSC / PEFC
GRS (Global Recycled Standard)
Cradle to Cradle
Not permitted
Proprietary eco badges or sustainability seals without a recognised certification scheme
Corporate ratings, such as EcoVadis, presented as product certification
As a supplier, you’re responsible for ensuring that only currently valid certificates are stated in your catalogue. Please review your certificates regularly and update your catalogue data immediately if a certificate expires.
Review product descriptions: Remove generic environmental claims such as ‘sustainable’, ‘green’ or ‘climate-neutral’, or replace them with more specific claims.
Check that certificates are valid: Only include seals and labels that relate to the product and are currently valid. Update your catalogue immediately if a certificate expires.
Remove non-recognised labels: Proprietary labels without an independent verification basis are not permitted.
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