Compliance guides · 08/05/2026 · 5 min
‘Carbon neutral’: why this claim becomes prohibited in 2026
Offsetting no longer justifies a neutrality claim. What the text says and how to communicate instead.
What the directive precisely bans
Point 4c of Annex I prohibits claiming that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive environmental impact in terms of emissions when the claim is based on offsetting greenhouse-gas emissions.
Why offsetting is targeted
Carbon credits do not prevent the product’s own emissions; they fund external projects of varying quality. Legislators consider consumers are misled about the product’s real impact.
What remains allowed
Communicating real, measured reductions with an explicit scope, a recognised method (GHG Protocol, ISO 14064) and third-party verification. Mentioning funding of carbon projects separately, without linking it to product neutrality.
Pre-publication checklist
Scope defined? Base year? Method cited? Independent verifier? Dated evidence available? Wording free of ‘neutral’ or ‘zero’? A missing box means the claim is at risk.
FAQ
Is ‘carbon offset’ also banned?+
It creates the same confusion and should be avoided on products.
Can a company say it funds projects?+
Yes, if the information is factual and not presented as product neutrality.
Which evidence should we keep?+
GHG inventory, verification report, methodology and source data, timestamped.