What does the EU Greenwashing Directive mean for e-commerce? Moving from vibe to data

In e-commerce, purchasing decisions are made based on what the customer sees on their screen. Therefore, the EU Green Claims Directive, which will come into force on 27 September 2026, and tightening regulations will have a powerful impact on online stores. Consumers must not be misled by exaggerated or false environmental claims, and in future, businesses will face a stricter burden of proof regarding the background of their marketing.

For many online stores, this is not just a marketing change. The changes will also affect product information management, e-commerce platforms, integrations, and how sustainability data is collected and maintained throughout the supply chain. 

5 most urgent changes for e-merchants

1. Reviewing and amending environmental claims

Generic and vague terms, such as "sustainable choice", "eco-shirt" or "environmentally friendly detergent", will be prohibited in product names or descriptions in future. They may only be used if the product has a recognised certification  (such as the Nordic Swan Ecolabel) or if you can disclose the basis for the claim immediately on the same page.

Environmental claims must be based on facts. Instead of generic imagery, online stores need precise and verifiable information about product features.

• Before: ”This is an environmentally friendly product.”

• Now:  ”The packaging of this product is made of 100% recycled plastic.” (The claim is precise and verifiable).

2. Redesigning search filters

Does your online store have a filter named "Sustainable Products" or "Green Choice"? In future, such generic filters may constitute a misleading environmental claim, unless they are backed by clear and transparent criteria. The Consumer Ombudsman has already intervened in online stores where products have been marked as "most sustainable" without clear justification.

Filters must be changed to describe a concrete feature directly, such as "Organic cotton", "Recycled materials" or "Nordic Swan Ecolabelled".

3. End of ”carbon-neutral delivery” claims in the shopping cart

Many online stores offer the option to select "carbon-neutral delivery" in the shopping cart. If this neutrality is based solely on the transport company purchasing carbon offsets (such as planting trees), it may no longer be marketed to the consumer as climate-neutral. The shopping cart must honestly state what the delivery entails, or use deliveries made purely with electric vehicles as a basis for marketing.

4. Repairability of electronics and software updates

If your online store range includes electronics or smart devices, product pages must offer clear information on the repairability of the product (e.g. repairability index) and the duration of the availability of software updates. Furthermore, consumers must not be enticed to buy a new device if a mere spare part or update would suffice.

5. Digital Product Passport (DPP) demands system performance

The green transition-related digital product passport (Digital Product Passport, DPP) is being introduced by the EU, initially for textiles and electronics. The data of the digital product passport must be made easily accessible to the consumer, for example, via a link or a QR code, allowing the consumer to view the product's life cycle, materials, repairability, and origin directly on the product page.

This places high demands on back-end systems. The PIM (Product Information Management) and ERP systems behind the online store must be able to process, store, and share this data seamlessly.

What should an e-merchant do next?

According to the rulings of the Consumer Ombudsman, supplementary information clarifying an environmental claim must be immediately available in the online store – retrieving the information must not require the consumer to navigate to another marketing channel or website. A business must have research, measurements, and statistics ready before any environmental claim is published on the site.

Ultimately, this is a transition from atmospheric talk to data-driven talk. Environmental claims must be precise, measurable, and behind an easily clickable link.

Does your online store or product information management (PIM) architecture need an update for the era of new regulation? At the same time, it is good to prepare for agentic buying. Contact Crasman – let's get your systems and data flows into such shape that they carry you through future challenges.