From 27 September 2026, stricter Dutch rules apply to consumer-facing sustainability claims. Environmental wording, labels and visual signals must be specific and supported by current evidence. The changes affect product pages, packaging, advertisements and other sales material.
Why this matters
A claim may start in a supplier email and end up on packaging, a webshop and a marketplace listing. Words, badges and images are judged together. A company-made badge needs independent control before it goes on a product page. Old packaging can bring relabelling or replacement costs. There is no general right to sell non-compliant stock through. Link every sales claim to a dated evidence file, an approver and a review date.
Example
A webshop sells kitchen equipment as “environmentally friendly.” The wording appears on its product page, packaging and a marketplace listing. The supplier’s certificate covers the manufacturer, not that product. The webshop also places its own green badge on the page, without an independently controlled scheme behind it. It narrows the wording, removes the badge and requests product-specific evidence. A manager records affected stock by batch, checks contracts before ordering new packaging, and keeps future claims with supporting files.
XTROVERSO tips
- List every public claim. Check websites, packaging, advertisements, brochures, marketplace listings and social posts. Include badges, icons, filters, images and repair promises.
- Separate different claim types. Keep product claims, company claims, comparisons, future targets and labels apart. Each needs evidence that matches what customers see.
- Build a simple claim register. Record the exact wording, product, evidence source, evidence date, channels, approver and review date. Keep the supporting file easy to find.
- Check supplier evidence. A supplier’s general statement may not support your exact claim. Confirm that the file covers the current product, materials and sales wording.
- Review labels and badges. Check who controls the scheme and whether independent verification exists. Do not use a badge created and approved only by your own business.
- Map old stock and costs. Record batches, quantities, locations and invoice dates. Check who pays for relabelling, returns, replacement packaging or delayed sales under each contract.
Need a clear review of your claims, files and stock before the deadline? Let’s map the work and business risks
The data, sourcing, and analysis behind this article were conducted by Paolo Maria Pavan. AI was not used to identify sources, build the factual basis, or produce the analytical judgment contained here. AI was used only as a drafting aid. The final English text was personally reviewed, edited, and approved by Paolo Maria Pavan before publication.
References
- Vanaf 27 september 2026 strengere eisen aan duurzaamheidsclaims | ACM
- Wettenbank — legal trigger and application date
- ACM — duurzaamheidsinformatie voor consumenten
- ACM — cruise seller changes sustainability claims after intervention
- ACM — application of the EU rules to old stock
- ACM — 2026 supervision priorities for a sustainable economy
- Ondernemersplein — regels voor duurzaamheidsclaims
- Wetgevingskalender — implementation record
