EU rules target wine greenwashing

The European Union’s new anti-greenwashing rules are set to change how wine producers describe sustainability on labels, websites and marketing materials, with companies facing penalties of up to 4% of annual revenue if environmental claims cannot be backed by certified evidence.

The directive, known as Empowering consumers for the green transition, or EmpCo, took effect on March 26, 2024, and will become mandatory in September 2026. It was a central topic at a Vinitaly discussion on April 13 in Verona titled “Communicating the sustainability of wine: time for clarity,” organized by Equalitas with Legambiente and FederBio.

Under the new rules, generic terms such as green, eco-friendly, carbon neutral and natural cannot be used unless they are supported by verifiable proof. The directive also requires that labels be validated by accredited third-party certification bodies. That standard applies not only to written claims but also to images, colors and slogans that suggest an environmental message.

The rules extend beyond packaging. The European Commission said misleading communication can also include promotional material and websites, broadening the scope of what regulators can review. For wine producers, that means sustainability messaging will need to be more precise and documented across all channels.

The change comes after a European Commission review found that more than 53% of environmental claims examined in the market were vague and 40% lacked verifiable evidence. The agro-food sector ranked second globally for greenwashing incidents in that analysis.

The wine industry has long relied on a wide range of sustainability standards, with more than 80 systems in use worldwide, from California Sustainable Winegrowing and Napa Green to Terra Vitis and South Africa’s Integrated Production of Wine. But many of those standards cover only part of a producer’s environmental, social and economic impact, and only some carry a registered quality mark or structured verification system.

For producers that have built branding around words like natural or ecological without formal certification, the new framework could force major changes in labeling and communication before the September 2026 deadline.