The European Commission’s latest statistics, released on Thursday, reveal continued growth in the number of products and services awarded the EU Ecolabel. This steady increase is accelerating, with nearly 100,000 certified goods and services now available—10,000 more than at the same time last year. Each of these products meets strict environmental standards throughout their lifecycle, enabling consumers, retailers, and businesses to make genuinely sustainable choices.
The data was published in celebration of World Ecolabel Day, an annual event recognising ecolabels that contribute to protecting both people and the planet. As of September 2024, close to 3,000 licences have been granted for 98,977 products on the EU market. Since March 2024, 240 new licences have been issued to companies—an increase of 9%—and 3,220 additional products have received the EU Ecolabel, reflecting a 3% rise. Compared to September last year, the label has been awarded to 10,000 more products, with 14 out of 25 product groups experiencing significant growth.
This upward trend is set to continue in the coming months, driven by new regulations introduced under the Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition. These rules will restrict sustainability labels to those certified by a third party or established by a public authority, ensuring greater transparency and reliability. As the number of certified products continues to grow, consumers will have more opportunities than ever to choose environmentally friendly options backed by the trust and credibility of the EU Ecolabel.
While 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 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 online 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 scheme 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).
Good news also applies to 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. This semester, Italy awarded the highest number of products (+1,261) within several product groups, including tissue paper, tissue products, and furniture.
The EU Ecolabel is also increasing in popularity globally with more than 2 600 products and 109 licences awarded to companies from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). These licences are attributed mainly to product groups, such as textiles, hard surface cleaning products, lubricants (13) and tourist accommodation.
