Food EmpCo Checklist 2026: 12 Points

12-point checklist. Packaging claims: 1. Climate-neutral claims removed — all "climate neutral", "carbon neutral", "greenhouse-gas neutral". 2. "Sustainable" only with evidence — either organic certification or specify. 3. "Natural" verified — for highly processed products: not permitted. 4. "Regional" defined — name the region or state kilometre radius.

Certifications: 5. EU organic code visible — DE-ÖKO-XXX on product + online shop. 6. Fairtrade FLO ID — for Fairtrade content also percentage value. 7. Demeter/Naturland — membership number stated.

Online shop: 8. Product detail page — all claims substantiated or removed. 9. Filter categories — no "sustainable" filters without criteria. 10. Newsletter — no misleading header.

Verification: 11. Empcora audit carried out. 12. Staff training documented.

Sector-specific risks: Coffee/cocoa without Rainforest Alliance, chocolate "climate neutral" through carbon offsetting, dairy products "from domestic production" at large cooperatives, beer "regionally brewed" under corporate licence.

Costs: Audit plan €49, monitoring €19/month, contractual penalty for cease-and-desist €5,000–25,000. ROI: 250×.