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~ Wijnand Jongen ~

COLUMN

THE FUTURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION
AND THE ROLE OF E-COMMERCE IN INFORMING
CONSUMERS

owadays, a company communicating its As is, the Directive mandates companies to collect the
efforts to produce, sell and act more sustain- necessary data and to develop a methodology to substantiate
Nably is not only daring more transparency their green claims. Most importantly, it introduces the
on its production and distribution chains. It is also obligation for these claims to be pre-approved before they
attempting to get ahead of its competitors. Indeed, can be communicated. This is described in the legislation as
buying sustainable products and services has in- the “pre-approval verification process”. This phase is carried
creasingly become a popular consumption pattern out by so-called “verifiers”, which conclude the process by
and has drawn the attention of policymakers all issuing a certificate of conformity for the given claim. All
around Europe, including the European Commis- steps in this process are to be performed at the national level
sion. — which opens the door to divergent applications across the
EU Member States.
In the coming years, we will be seeing changes in European,
and therefore national, legislation when it comes to how Now, the questions you have to ask yourself as a trader selling
you can inform consumers about environmental aspects of online are: Will I be able to continue displaying the same
products and regarding how you are expected to substantiate environmental information as I currently do and as I have
the “green claims” you make about yourself or your products. always done? Will the labelling scheme in which I participate
continue to exist? Will I have to pay — and if yes, how
Indeed, in early 2026, new changes to European consumer much — to continue communicating this information to my
law (the Directive on Empowering Consumers for the customers?
Green Transition) will be established, banning all generic
environmental claims. These include “environmentally Environmental communication as we know it is on
friendly”, “natural”, “biodegradable”, etc. These changes aim the brink of extinction
at ensuring that We at Ecommerce
consumers have “WE AT ECOMMERCE EUROPE ARE Europe are
access to more convinced of the
reliable, detailed, CONVINCED OF THE ADDED VALUE added value of
and understandable digital commerce to
claims on the OF DIGITAL COMMERCE TO BOOST boost the transition
EU market and towards a more
will, therefore, sustainable economy.
require companies THE TRANSITION TOWARDS A MORE Thanks to a few
to sometimes clicks, visitors of an
adapt how they SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY.” online shop are able
communicate today. to check a product’s
impact on the
In parallel, new rules, through the so-called “Green Claims environment and even compare it to similar alternatives.
Directive”, are currently under discussion in the EU. These
new rules, which will also apply in the coming years, will Consumers usually rely on information, trademarks,
regulate the process and methodologies through which brands or labels for their purchases. Visually impactful
companies can substantiate their voluntary “green” claims. and understandable environmental information can
This also means that companies will only be authorised to steer consumers’ choices. But it is also a key instrument
communicate voluntary environmental information (e.g., for businesses to stand out in front of competitors. In a
“Our company’s environmental footprint was reduced by 20% nutshell, reliable information on a product or a company’s
since 2015”) if they go through that specific process. environmental performance is a win-win situation. It is also
a positive sum game, where both consumers and companies

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