Helena Villena and Luis López analyse the risks of greenwashing ahead of the forthcoming Sustainable Consumption Law | Expansión

Helena Villena and Luis López explain in Expansión that the forthcoming Sustainable Consumption Law will require companies to be more transparent in their environmental claims.

he draft law, approved by the Council of Ministers on 1 July, introduces strict regulation against greenwashing, prohibiting the use of terms such as “green,” “eco,” or “sustainable” unless they are backed by verifiable, public commitments subject to third-party auditing.

Villena and López emphasise that companies will need to strengthen their internal policies to mitigate legal risks, which may include financial penalties, reputational damage, exclusion from public procurement processes, and potential claims for unfair competition. The forthcoming Sustainable Consumption Law aligns with EU Directive 2024/825 against greenwashing, whose obligations must be applied no later than 27 September 2026.

According to the experts at Gómez-Acebo & Pombo, adopting robust internal policies and conducting regular audits will not only ensure compliance with the regulations but also help build consumer trust and protect companies’ reputations in a market that is increasingly demanding in terms of sustainability.

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