„Ethical"
Anhang I Nr. 4a UCPD i.d.F. EmpCo, § 5 Abs. 2 UWG
What does it mean?
The term "ethical" is a general, non-specific claim that, without concrete substantiation, is considered misleading from 27 September 2026 under the EmpCo Directive and § 5 Abs. 2 UWG. Consumers expect comprehensible criteria and measurable standards with such a claim. The Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), for example, offers a tiered system with the ratings Leader, Good, Needs Improvement, Suspended and Expelled. Mere membership of FWF is not sufficient — the specific rating must be stated. Alternatively, an SA8000 certificate with a current audit report can serve as evidence. Every claim must be substantiated by a recognised standard and publicly accessible evidence.
Typical phrasings
- 'Ethically produced fashion'
- 'Ethical commitment'
- 'We value ethical production'
Required evidence
- Fair Wear Foundation (FWF)
- SA8000
- Initiative for Compliance and Sustainability (ICS)
Rechtsgrundlage (Originalwortlaut)
Anhang I Nr. 4a UCPD (i.d.F. EmpCo) — generische Umweltaussage ohne anerkannte Nachweise
Quelle: Richtlinie (EU) 2024/825 (EmpCo) — verbindlich ist ausschließlich die im Amtsblatt der Europäischen Union veröffentlichte Fassung.
DEDeutsch (amtlich, DE-Fassung Amtsblatt)aufklappenzuklappen
„Treffen einer allgemeinen Umweltaussage, wobei der Gewerbetreibende die anerkannte hervorragende Umweltleistung, auf die sich die Aussage bezieht, nicht nachweisen kann."ENEnglish (Official Journal, EN version)aufklappenzuklappen
„Making a generic environmental claim for which the trader is not able to demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance relevant to the claim."FRFrançais (Journal officiel, version FR)aufklappenzuklappen
„Présenter une allégation environnementale générique au sujet de laquelle le professionnel n'est pas en mesure de démontrer l'excellente performance environnementale reconnue en rapport avec l'allégation."NLNederlands (Publicatieblad, NL versie)aufklappenzuklappen
„Het maken van een generieke milieuclaim zonder dat de handelaar erkende voortreffelijke milieuprestaties kan aantonen die relevant zijn voor de claim."Empcora is a pure checking and documentation service and provides general information only on the legal situation based on the EmpCo Directive (EU 2024/825) and the unfair-competition / consumer-protection law transposing it in your jurisdiction including references. This is not individual legal advice and includes neither the rewriting nor the drafting of texts. No liability or warranty is assumed for the correctness, completeness or up-to-dateness of the analysis, nor for any legal consequences. The legal assessment of an individual case rests with an admitted law firm or lawyer.