27 September 2026 is the date from which EU Member States must apply Directive (EU) 2024/825, known as the “green transition” directive. It targets greenwashing: the words, labels and promises that make a product look greener than it really is.
It applies to any business that sells to consumers. An online shop that touts “eco-friendly” packaging, a tradesperson who presents an installation as “energy efficient”, a brand that calls itself “carbon neutral”.
Where France stands
The directive had to be transposed by 27 March 2026 at the latest. In France, the bill meant to bring it into national law was adopted by the Sénat on 18 February 2026. It has since been in first reading at the Assemblée nationale. The new prohibitions are therefore not yet in the code de la consommation (French Consumer Code).
That doesn't leave a gap. French law already regulates environmental claims, and that is what applies today.
What French law already prohibits
Misleading people about environmental impact. The code de la consommation treats as a misleading commercial practice any claim that is false or likely to mislead about a product's essential characteristics, “in particular its environmental impact”, or about the scope of the advertiser's commitments, “in particular regarding the environment”.
Writing “biodegradable” or “environmentally friendly” on a product or its packaging. This has been banned since 1 January 2022, as has any equivalent wording. And a product presented as recycled must state the percentage of recycled material actually incorporated.
Calling yourself “carbon neutral” in an advertisement without making three things easily available: the greenhouse gas emissions assessment of the product or service, the approach that avoids, reduces and then offsets those emissions, with quantified annual progress targets, and the terms of that offsetting.
What the directive adds
It adds new practices to the list of those deemed unfair in all circumstances, meaning there is no need to show, case by case, that a consumer was misled. Five of them directly affect everyday commercial communication.
Generic claims (“eco-friendly”, “green”, “energy efficient”…), when the business cannot demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance.
In-house labels. A sustainability label that is not based on a certification scheme and was not set up by a public authority.
The part presented as the whole. A claim about an entire product or business when it only concerns one aspect or one activity.
Neutrality through offsetting. Asserting that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on the climate on the basis of emissions offsetting.
A legal obligation sold as an asset. Presenting as a distinctive feature a requirement that the law imposes on all products in the category.
It also covers promises about the future. Announcing future environmental performance, such as “carbon neutral by 2030”, requires clear, verifiable commitments set out in a detailed, realistic implementation plan, with measurable, dated targets, regularly verified by an independent third-party expert whose findings are made available to consumers.
Among the examples of generic claims cited in the European text are “energy efficient” and “low carbon intensity”. Two very common phrases in the renovation sector.
What it costs
In France, a misleading commercial practice is punishable by two years' imprisonment and a €300,000 fine. The fine can be raised to 10% of average annual turnover, or to 50% of the spending on the advertising in question. That second rate rises to 80% when the deception rests on an environmental claim.
When the offence is committed online, the penalties rise to five years' imprisonment and a €750,000 fine.
Five checks to run in your own business
Hunt for the adjectives. “Eco-friendly”, “green”, “eco-responsible”, “natural”: on your product pages, quotes, service pages and ads. For each one, ask what proves it.
Replace the general with the specific. “Packaging made of 70% recycled cardboard” says something verifiable. “Eco-friendly packaging” says nothing. The European text treats a claim differently when its scope is stated in clear, prominent terms.
Take stock of your labels. Logos, badges, in-house pictograms: which one relies on third-party certification, and which one was designed internally?
Re-read your climate commitments. Carbon neutrality, offsetting, targets for 2030: for each one, the document that backs it up must exist and be publicly accessible.
Don't sell the obligation. A product that meets a requirement imposed on everyone doesn't stand out by saying so. Promoting regulatory compliance as an asset is precisely one of the practices targeted.
The right approach
An honest environmental argument is still a good argument. What changes is the burden of proof: a green word that nothing backs up becomes a risk, where it used to be mostly a shortcut. The work is less about dropping arguments than about making them verifiable.
The French text has not yet been adopted, and its final wording may still change. This article will be updated when it is published.
Sources: Articles 1, 4 and the annex of Directive (EU) 2024/825 of 28 February 2024, accessed on EUR-Lex on 29 September 2026; Articles L121-2 and L132-2 of the code de la consommation, L541-9-1 and L229-68 of the code de l'environnement, accessed on Légifrance on 29 September 2026; legislative file for the projet de loi portant diverses dispositions d'adaptation au droit de l'Union européenne (bill on various provisions adapting French law to EU law), Assemblée nationale, accessed on 29 September 2026.
