Today, the European Commission released new statistics highlighting the continued growth in EU Ecolabel awarded products and licenses. With nearly 100 000 certified goods and services now available—10 000 more than at this time last year—this upward trend is gaining momentum. Each product meets rigorous environmental standards throughout its lifecycle, empowering consumers, retailers, and businesses to make sustainable choices. These statistics were released in conjunction with World Ecolabel Day, an annual celebration of ecolabels that safeguard both people and the planet.
As of September 2024, nearly 3 000 licences have been awarded for 98 977 products on the EU market. Since March 2024, 240 new licences have been issued to companies (a 9% increase) and 3 220 new products have been awarded the label (a 3% increase). Compared to September last year, an additional 10,000 products now carry the label. This growth can be observed across most EU Ecolabel product groups, with 14 out of the 25 groups experiencing a notable expansion. This positive trend is expected to continue over the coming months also thanks to the new rules established by the "Empowering consumers for the green transition" Directive, that will only allow sustainability labels certified by a third-party or established by a public authority on the market. The increase in the number of certified products makes it easier than ever for consumers to choose environmentally friendly and sustainable options, backed by the credibility of the EU Ecolabel.
Big boost for tourist accommodations and good news for personal care products
Whilst there has been growth across the board, tourist accommodation services have experienced the highest growth and hold the highest number of licenses overall. The sector saw a 14% increase over the past six months, with 94 new licenses issued, half of them issued in France.
Holidaymakers now have almost 800 EU Ecolabel hotels and campsites to choose from for their upcoming stays. With the increase in available funding opportunities, improved collaborations with on-line platforms and constant communication efforts by the EU and Member States— including the recent webinar (‘Bring tourist accommodation into the green spotlight with the EU Ecolabel’), the visibility of the EU Ecolabel has increased.
Additionally, three EU Ecolabel product groups have shown significant growth in the past six months: furniture (+1 524 products), tissue paper and tissue products (+983 products), and hard surface cleaning products (+466 products).
There is also good news for cosmetic products, which have continued to expand in the last six months, with more than 210 products and 15 licences being awarded the EU Ecolabel. A further increase is expected in the coming months, as many companies are still in the process of renewing their licences. Similar expectations apply to absorbent hygiene products, which received their first licence under the newly introduced criteria, with additional licenses expected to follow soon.
To learn more, take a look at all of the latest facts and figures. And if you are a business, why not why not take this opportunity to grow and green your operations by joining the EU Ecolabel scheme today? Learn more about all the product groups and criteria.
The LIFE Programme and EU Ecolabel
LIFE has supported public authorities and the private sector in developing environmental management schemes and raising awareness to decrease the impact of their activities. LIFE has helped identify barriers to uptake and pioneered the implementation of EU Ecolabel and EMAS procedures and other green certification in diverse public and private sector contexts. Since 1992, LIFE has supported more than 140 projects specifically dealing with environmental certification (EU Ecolabel, EMAS, ISO14000, ETV, etc), mobilising a total budget of more than €150 million. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have coordinated the majority of these projects. These enterprises come from a range of manufacturing and service sectors, including: marine aquaculture, wine production, tourism, agriculture, horticulture, cleaning products, printing, retail, sport and events and hospitals.
Several LIFE projects have actively supported the EU Ecolabel. They include:
Details
- Publication date
- 10 October 2024
- Author
- European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency