The Danish Consumer Ombudsman has published new recommendations that provide concrete help for companies wishing to use green statements about climate, environment and sustainability.
The provisions of the Danish Marketing Practices Act on misrepresentation set strict requirements for the use of statements about climate, environment and sustainability, and it can be difficult for a company wishing to promote its green initiatives to navigate the rules without being accused of greenwashing.
New examples
The new, updated recommendations provide a number of illustrative examples of legal and illegal marketing and also include a review of what companies should be aware of according to the Consumer Ombudsman.
The recommendations replace the Consumer Ombudsman's quick guide from 2021 and include updated sections on liability, sustainability and carbon compensation due to new practices.
They also relate to the upcoming amendment to the UPC Directive, which from September 2026 will impose even stricter requirements on companies' documentation and transparency.
Three pieces of advice
- Have documentation in place - All statements must be documented. Only use statements of fact/objective statements and make sure you have solid, independent documentation.
- Use concrete and precise statements - Be as concrete and precise as possible and avoid broad terms like "green" or "eco-friendly".
- 3Avoid exaggeration - Do not use general or vague statements without an accompanying explanation of what they actually mean.