Why should my products carry the Ecolabel ?

The European Ecolabel can say a lot about you and your products. The Ecolabel is:

  • Public and credible - products with the Ecolabel must to be independently assessed by the Ecolabel Competent Bodies as meeting strict published criteria, and can't just get away with vague environmental claims;

  • Comprehensive - it applies to all the environmental impacts of a product (not just energy, for example), over its whole life through to disposal, and the criteria are developed by a multi-stakeholder approach;

  • Wide-ranging - the same logo covers all product groups, and the scheme now applies to many different kinds of products, from electrical goods to paints, and from cleaning products to mattresses, so is becoming increasingly visible in the marketplace;

  • Europe-wide - one label covers the whole of Europe: the scheme is backed by the European Commission, and all EU member states, so it has the potential to influence the behaviour of millions of consumers across Europe, and offers corresponding marketing advantages to manufacturers.

If you make a quality product which provides value for money, the Ecolabel can enhance its appeal and help it to stand out in the market.

If you make environmental claims about your product, what basis do they have? Many products claim to be greener, but the Ecolabel requires independent confirmation that products actually meet high environmental standards, and is supported by the Government.

If you want your customers to have confidence in your product, shouldn't you be able to tell them what standards your products meet? The Ecolabel criteria are published and are freely available.

If you want to promote your product, the Ecolabel offers marketing opportunities throughout Europe, and is steadily gaining recognition among consumers.

If you want to find new markets, the Ecolabel means that commercial and domestic purchasers seeking greener goods in the UK and in Europe can be assured that your product meets demanding standards.

Page published:15 March 2007