Governance & Policy
Substantiation of Claims
Definition
Substantiation of claims is the legal and standards-based requirement that environmental marketing claims be supported by adequate evidence — accurate, relevant, up to date and accessible — before they are communicated. Under the EU Empowering Consumers Directive (2024/825), generic claims such as "environmentally friendly" are banned unless substantiated by recognised excellent environmental performance; the proposed Green Claims Directive would go further, requiring claims to be assessed against lifecycle evidence and verified ex ante.
References
This reference provides supporting context for how “Substantiation of Claims” is defined and used.
This reference provides supporting context for how “Substantiation of Claims” is defined and used.
Overview
How it is used
The requirement structures marketing legal review, ISO 14021 conformity, green claims registries and enforcement actions by consumer protection authorities.
Why it matters
Substantiation is the difference between claims as speech and claims as statements of fact — the mechanism that makes greenwashing expensive.