How does Regenagri certification align with the new EU Empowering Consumers Directive?

With supply chain sustainability becoming an increasingly pressing concern in today’s marketplace, brands and retailers are placing greater emphasis on communicating their impact. Yet for consumers, it can be difficult to distinguish between companies making a genuine positive impact and those that are not.

Later this year, a new EU law comes into effect to help tackle greenwashing: the EU Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo). By clamping down on vague and misleading social and environmental claims, the Directive aims to ensure that consumers have clearer, more reliable, and more easily verifiable information about the sustainability of the products in their shopping baskets.

Developed in line with internationally recognised standards, Regenagri’s certification standards are already aligned with the new EmpCo Directive. In a constantly evolving regulatory landscape, we’re committed to providing our partners with credible, data-backed, and independently verified evidence of their environmental and social impact – and to help them communicate their sustainability claims to consumers with confidence and transparency.

EU Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo): Directive (EU) 2024/825

The EU Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo) comes into full market enforcement on 27 September 2026. Under these regulations, organisations face much stricter rules on communicating environmental claims and marketing sustainability labels. To ensure compliance, the Regenagri standards and certification systems provide third-party verification, guaranteeing the validity and accuracy of data and claims made by licensed, Regenagri-certified organisations, as well as any other entity eligible to make environmental claims.

What’s changing?

The Directive amends the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive by prohibiting a number of practices that may mislead consumers about the environmental performance or sustainability characteristics of products, services, or businesses.

The key changes include:

Sustainability labels: Sustainability labels may only be used where they are established by a public authority or are based on a certification scheme that meets the criteria set out in the Directive, including independent third-party verification.
Environmental claims: Businesses shall ensure that environmental claims are specific, accurate and supported by reliable evidence. Broad or generic claims, such as “green”, “environmentally friendly”, or “eco-friendly” may only be used where they can be appropriately substantiated and are not misleading regarding the environmental performance of the product, service or organisation.

These requirements apply to all consumer-facing commercial communications, including product packaging, websites, digital marketing, advertising, promotional materials and other forms of communication with consumers.

New EU standards on Claims requirements

Generic terms such as “eco-friendly,” or “green,” cannot be used unless supported by measurable verified data.
Claims and labels must be checked by an independent and accredited verifier.

How the Regenagri scheme aligns with the EU Directive

Below, we explain how the Regenagri certification programme—which includes the Regenagri Farm Standard and Supply Chain Standards—aligns with the EmpCo and its definition of a certification system. Ultimately, the responsibility for meeting the EmpCo requirements lies with the organisations placing products on the market and making consumer-facing environmental claims.

Let’s look at the Directive’s specific articles:

(r) “certification scheme” means a third-party verification scheme that certifies that a product, process or business complies with certain requirements, that allows for the use of a corresponding sustainability label, and the terms of which, including its requirements, are publicly available

Regenagri Standards are developed in alignment with internationally recognised frameworks, including the principles of the ISEAL Codes of Good Practice, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct, promoting transparency, continuous improvement and stakeholder confidence throughout the certification system. Certification is granted, following an independent third-party assessment of farms and, where applicable, supply chain organisations. All certification requirements and standards are publicly available to ensure transparency and accessibility.

(r) (i) the scheme is open under transparent, fair, and non-discriminatory terms to all traders willing and able to comply with the scheme’s requirements

Regenagri develops and continually improves its certification schemes in line with the principles of the ISEAL Codes of Good Practice. Certification is open to organisations and businesses, including smallholder farms, that meet the requirements of the applicable Regenagri Standards. Information on certified organisations, together with the certification requirements and supporting documentation, is publicly available.

(r) (ii) the scheme’s requirements are developed by the scheme owner in consultation with relevant experts and stakeholders

Regenagri develops and maintains its standards through a transparent, documented standard-setting process aligned with the principles of the ISEAL Codes of Good Practice. The process includes consultation with farms, organisations, businesses, technical and advisory experts and other relevant stakeholders, ensuring that feedback is considered throughout the development and revision of the standards.

(r) (iii) the scheme sets out procedures for dealing with non-compliance with the scheme’s requirements and provides for the withdrawal or suspension of the use of the sustainability label by the trader in case of non-compliance with the scheme’s requirements

Regenagri standards, Regenagri Auditing and Certification Requirements and Regenagri Assessment Methodology set clear requirements and procedures to handle non-compliances, including corrective actions, suspensions, or withdrawals. Furthermore, active grievance and whistle-blowing procedures are in place for any interested parties with concerns. These reporting channels are communicated to all internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that any concerns raised are investigated and considered during standard reviews, updates, or changes.

(iv) the monitoring of a trader’s compliance with the scheme’s requirements is subject to an objective procedure and is carried out by a third party whose competence and independence from both the scheme owner and the trader are based on international, Union or national standards and procedures

All organisations holding Regenagri certification are subject to annual audits conducted by approved independent third-party Certification Bodies (CBs), which assess compliance with Regenagri certification requirements. CBs are required to hold accreditation to ISO/IEC 17065 or other internationally recognised accreditation standards, as appropriate to the scope of the certification services they provide. They conduct objective conformity assessments in accordance with the Regenagri certification programme and are subject to ongoing oversight and performance monitoring by Regenagri to ensure the competence, consistency and integrity of certification activities.

Articles 5, 6 and 7: Prohibition of unfair and misleading commercial practices

Each organisation wishing to make a claim shall meet specific requirements and criteria, which vary depending on the type of claim being made. Applications need to include supporting records and documentation, such as artwork files, Regenagri scope certificates, and transaction certificates (if applicable). Evidence shall demonstrate that the proposed claim complies with Regenagri Claims requirements and the requirements of Directive (EU) 2024/825 (the Empowering Consumers Directive), together with any applicable national legislation implementing the Directive.