As per ESG Today, Zalando officials said that "after more than a year of intense work on our customer experience and close dialogue with the European Commission, we are pleased to have reached a mutual agreement: Our proposals to improve the communication of sustainability-related information to customers have been accepted and the proceedings against us have been discontinued, subject to implementation of agreed changes."

European lawmakers recently announced new measures that could end greenwashing and force companies to change their advertising habits, labeling products as sustainable only when that is the case.

Recently, we talked to Miriam Thiemann, Policy Officer for Sustainable Consumption, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), to find out more about these measures and how they might impact the European market in the future. Generic sustainability claims that are not backed by scientific proof will not be allowed on the labels of products sold in the EU.

Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice, said that "many consumers want to make their consumption greener. It is important for them to have reliable information so they can act upon it and make truly sustainable consumption choices. We must also prevent traders who could try to benefit from consumers’ good intentions. I am glad that a market leader such as Zalando has now abandoned these practices and decided to provide clear and specific information to consumers."

Besides removing the sustainability icon from all webpages, Zalando committed to remove the "leaf" symbol added next to certain products that cannot be proven to bring benefits to the planet. The company also promised to provide clear information about what makes a product "sustainable", as well as to revise its sustainability page with links to webpages that explain product standards and sustainability strategies.

"As a number of textiles-specific legislations will be developed over the next few years, we encourage EU policymakers to establish a consistent regulatory framework that will enhance not only consumer trust but also consumer engagement, while providing legal certainty for companies. In the meantime, the outcome of our mutual agreement with the European Commission is a first step in providing clarity to the industry on what a compliant sustainability experience could look like", Zalando added.