Greenwashing in Advertising: Status Quo and Expected Developments

More and more companies are inclined to promote the sustainability characteristics of their products and services, without always being able to support these claims with evidence. Commonly known as “greenwashing”, this is a form of misinformation that can lead to legal issues. Found in both B2C and B2B contexts, this practice aims at presenting or promoting products, services (or part thereof), implicitly or explicitly, as more sustainable than they actually are. While it becomes a market trend, there is currently no specific legal framework at Belgian or European level that regulates greenwashing in advertising. As a result, the interpretation of what can be prohibited can still vary from one Member State to another, leaving companies in the dark as to what level of communication is permissible. But for how much longer?

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