Greenwashing and repairability: Poland's new consumer law from 2027
Short answer: Poland's greenwashing and durability act was signed on 15 October 2026 and applies from 27 September 2027. It bans vague eco claims, offset-based neutrality claims and hidden obsolescence.
Poland has a new consumer-law amendment aimed at "green" marketing and at products that are made to wear out early. The President's office announced on 15 October 2026 that the act was signed. It does not apply yet. The act enters into force on 27 September 2027, so nothing below changes what shops can do today. This guide is based on the text of the act as passed by the Sejm and accepted by the Senate without amendments (Sejm print 2799), and on the reporting of the signature. Status as of 15 October 2026.
What the act is
The full title is the act of 4 September 2026 amending the act on counteracting unfair market practices and the Consumer Rights Act. It carries into Polish law Directive (EU) 2024/825, often called the EmpCo directive. The original plan was to start on 27 September 2026, but the Sejm moved the start date back by one year at the request of business groups, who wanted time to deal with stock already in warehouses. The Sejm rejected an extra 24-month transition period for products already on the market.
* Photos: "Electronic junk separation in view of recycling" (two photos), Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
Green claims that will be banned
The text adds new items to the list of practices that are always unfair, with no need to prove harm in each case. Among them:
- Generic environmental claims such as "eco-friendly" when the trader cannot show recognised high environmental performance that fits the claim.
- Claims about a whole product or a whole business when they cover only one feature.
- Claims that a product is neutral, or has a reduced or positive effect on greenhouse gases, when the claim rests on offsetting.
- Sustainability labels that are not based on a certification scheme or set by public authorities.
- Presenting something the law already requires as if it were a special feature of the product.
Claims about future environmental performance will need clear, objective, publicly available and verifiable commitments in a detailed and realistic plan, checked by an independent expert. Services that compare products will have to say how the comparison is made.
Planned obsolescence and repair
The act also targets practices that shorten the life of goods. Under the new items, a trader may not:
- hide that a software update will have a negative effect on how a product works;
- present an update as necessary when it only improves functionality;
- hide a feature that limits durability, when the trader knows about it;
- make a false claim about how durable a product is;
- present a product as repairable when it is not;
- push the consumer to replace consumables earlier than needed;
- hide, or falsely claim, that functionality will be limited if third-party consumables, spare parts or accessories are used.
Changes in the Consumer Rights Act
The amendment defines a "durability guarantee" (gwarancja trwałości) as a guarantee given by the producer about durability. It also sets rules for the harmonised label for such guarantees. According to the text, that label may be used only for a free producer guarantee that covers the whole product and lasts more than two years. The act also introduces a "repairability score" as a defined term and requires a harmonised notice about the two-year statutory liability of the seller for lack of conformity with the contract.
What it means for you as a consumer
- Today, nothing is different. The current rules on misleading advertising still apply, and lawyers quoted by the legal press note that misleading claims about ecology can already be treated as unfair practices.
- From 27 September 2027, a bare "green" or "eco" slogan on a product page or box should be backed by a recognised standard, not only by the seller's word.
- UOKiK, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, stays the enforcement body. The act does not create a new enforcement mechanism.
- Your statutory rights as a buyer, including the two-year liability for defects, are separate from any producer guarantee.
Check the final text of the act in the Journal of Laws once it is published. The Journal of Laws position number was not yet known on 15 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is the greenwashing ban already in force in Poland?
No. As of 15 October 2026 the act is signed but applies only from 27 September 2027.
Which EU law does this come from?
Directive (EU) 2024/825 on empowering consumers for the green transition.
Who enforces the new rules?
UOKiK, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, remains the competent authority under the act.
Does it ban the word "eco" completely?
According to the text, a generic environmental claim is banned when the trader cannot show recognised high environmental performance relevant to the claim. Claims that are specific and clearly explained are treated differently.
