EcoBeautyScore passes 13,000 products scored as EU's new green claims rules take effect
The EcoBeautyScore system for assessing beauty products has now scored over 13,000 items as the EU's new regulations on environmental claims become effective.
Brussels, September 30, 2026 – The EcoBeautyScore system, which provides science-based environmental assessments for beauty products, has surpassed 13,000 products scored. This milestone arrives as the EU's Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (EmpCo) Directive begins to apply, introducing stricter rules for environmental claims.
The EmpCo directive, effective September 27, 2026, mandates greater specificity and substantiation for environmental claims made by companies. It aims to prevent greenwashing by requiring credible evidence for statements regarding environmental benefits. For the beauty industry, this necessitates a shift towards transparent and verifiable communication of sustainability efforts.
"EmpCo changes the conversation around environmental claims. For beauty brands, it is raising the bar for evidence and transparency behind environmental claims," said Rebekah Lees, Marketing & Business Development Director, EcoBeautyScore Association. "But this is more than a regulatory requirement — it is an opportunity to communicate environmental performance in a way that is clearer, more credible and ultimately more useful to consumers."
Launched in March 2025 after extensive development, EcoBeautyScore employs a full life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology aligned with the European Commission's Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) approach. It evaluates 16 environmental impact categories across a product's entire lifecycle, from raw material sourcing to end-of-life. The resulting A-E score provides a consumer-friendly summary of complex environmental data. The system currently covers five product categories, with plans to expand to three more by the end of 2026.
"EmpCo is fundamentally about moving from environmental promises to environmental proof," stated Laurent Gilbert, Scientific Director, EcoBeautyScore Association. "That is closely aligned with the purpose of EcoBeautyScore. The score gives brands a measurable way to assess environmental performance across the product lifecycle, while the methodology provides the scientific foundation behind the result."