BlogDagmar 10.09.2026

The greenwashing ban is exactly what the marketing industry needs

Marketing development Responsible marketing

It’s almost here: amendments to the Finnish Consumer Protection Act based on the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive will enter into force at the end of September. The new provisions will mostly apply from 27 September 2026.

Let’s start by clearing up a misconception: greenwashing has never been permitted in Finland. Marketing has never been allowed to contain false or misleading information. The Consumer Ombudsman has supervised marketing and intervened in misleading environmental claims for years.

So what’s changing?

The grey area around environmental claims is shrinking, and the rules of the game are becoming clearer. Until now, environmental claims have been assessed under the general rules on misleading marketing: Is the claim true, what impression does it give, and could it mislead the consumer?

The upcoming regulation makes the boundaries more concrete. Going forward, prohibited practices will include, for example, generic environmental claims without sufficient substantiation, unfounded sustainability labels, and certain climate claims based on emissions offsetting. Violations of the law may result in a penalty payment.

However, some of the requirements laid down in the Government Decree are subject to a limited six-month transition period. This transition period runs until 27 March 2027 and applies only to products and packaging placed on the market before the Decree enters into force.

It’s worth noting that environmental claims are only one part of the changes the Directive brings. The new rules also cover product durability, reparability and guarantees, as well as the information provided to consumers about them.

Consumers don’t know what to believe

Green, eco-friendly, sustainable, environmentally friendly…

This brings us to a key problem for marketing: a lack of trust. In a study by the Finnish Consumers’ Union, 57 per cent of Finns said that environmental claims made by companies cannot be trusted. When the same words are used for almost everything, their meaning becomes blurred. This also hurts companies that have real actions and evidence to back up their claims.

The greenwashing ban will hopefully fix this. When more is required of environmental claims, a responsible image can no longer be built on words, colours and symbols alone. This makes competition fairer and gives companies that have invested in sustainability a better chance to stand out.

From now on, actions will come before words.

Now is the time to review your marketing

The end of September is coming fast. Now is a good time to review your website, social media posts, brochures, campaign materials, packaging and any other marketing content in use. Images, symbols, eco-labels and visual identity can also create environmental associations.

Start by asking: What are we claiming here, and can we prove it?

For every claim, document what it is based on, who calculated it and when. If you can’t find a source, the claim is a risk. At the same time, agree on who in your company will approve environmental claims in the future, because responsibility for marketing always lies with the advertiser.

The greenwashing ban brings new requirements for marketers, and at the same time it can restore the value of environmental claims.

If you’d like to review your materials before the end of September, we can help you identify risky claims and build communication that stands up to scrutiny.

author

Leena Kivioja

Director, Sustainability and Lead Strategist

leena.kivioja@dagmar.fi

+358503541147

Leena Kivioja works with sustainable strategy, foresight, and long-term business development. She helps organizations clarify their strategic direction, strengthen sustainable value creation, and turn strategic choices into everyday action. Leena serves on the board of the Finnish Society for Futures Studies.
Contact Leena for more information about our responsible marketing services.

References:

Valtioneuvosto: Kuluttajansuojalain uudistaminen vihreän siirtymän edistämiseksi
Finlex: Laki kuluttajansuojalain muuttamisesta 573/2026
Finlex: Valtioneuvoston asetus kuluttajien kannalta sopimattomasta kaupallisesta menettelystä markkinoinnissa ja asiakassuhteissa 664/2026
Kuluttajaliitto: Viherväittämien viidakko hämmentää kuluttajia