„Made from 100% natural materials"
Annex I No. 2 UCPD as amended by EmpCo (EU 2024/825), § 5 UWG
What does it mean?
The claim "made from 100% natural materials" is only permissible when all components of the product are genuinely of natural origin – including adhesives, lacquers, dyes and other auxiliary substances. Otherwise, it constitutes a misleading commercial practice pursuant to § 5 UWG, which is further tightened by the EmpCo Directive (EU 2024/825). The Directive requires concrete substantiation of every environmental claim. Under Section 5 UWG and the EmpCo Directive (EU 2024/825), consumers expect actual proximity when regional claims are made. Complete and transparent disclosure of the material composition is therefore essential to avoid legal risks.
Typical phrasings
- "Furniture made from 100% natural materials"
- "Clothing made from 100% natural fibres"
- "100% natural ingredients"
What you can write instead
"Main material: 100% organic cotton (DE-ÖKO-001), dyes of natural origin, zip fastener made from recycled PET."
Required evidence
- Complete bill of materials (BOM) with material specifications
- Certificates for all materials used (Organic, GOTS, FSC etc.)
- Pollutant analysis in accordance with OEKO-TEX Standard 100
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."Does your website use „Made from 100% natural materials"?
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