An image of happy cows grazing, the words “we respect animal welfare”, a green sticker on the packaging, are all elements that can influence the way we perceive a product. But how much of what we are told really corresponds to the conditions in which the animals are raised?
From 27 September 2026, companies will have to pay more attention to this aspect. In fact, the new provisions of the European Directive 2024/825, implemented with Legislative Decree 20 February 2026, n., come into force in Italy. 30, which strengthen consumer protection against misleading commercial practices.
The rule was born in the context of the new European rules against greenwashing, but it does not only concern the environment. Ethical commitments relating to animal welfare are also among the social characteristics that can be communicated deceptively.
The result is that, from the end of September, it will no longer be enough to create packaging or advertising capable of evoking the idea of ​​particularly animal-friendly farming; what is communicated will have to be consistent with what is actually guaranteed to consumers.
What really changes
Let’s start with a fundamental distinction, because it is easy to get confused. The new legislation does not introduce new European standards on animal welfare. It does not establish, for example, that from 27 September chickens will have to have more space, that cows will have to go outdoors or that pigs will have to be raised in new ways. Those are matters governed by specific animal welfare legislation.
Here we instead intervene on the way in which companies can present the characteristics of their products and activities to the consumer. Therefore, if a company communicates that a product comes from animals raised according to certain welfare criteria, the communication must not create a false or misleading impression with respect to the conditions actually guaranteed.
There is no universal list of required documents for every possible sentence. But, if the communication is contested, the company may be called upon to demonstrate the accuracy of the factual elements on which it is based.
In practice, behind a statement there must be actually applied conditions, identifiable requirements, controls, documentation or other relevant elements, depending on what is declared.
Then there is a rule that could have interesting effects on the packaging of products of animal origin. It will not be possible to present as a distinctive feature of the product something that is simply a mandatory requirement for all products in the same category.
The idea is to prevent a company from using as a marketing element something which, in reality, does not represent its own choice or superior performance, but an obligation that all operators must respect.
This does not mean that compliance with the law can never be communicated. The point is different: it should not be presented to the consumer as if it were an exclusive advantage or a voluntary characteristic that distinguishes that product from others when it concerns the entire category.
Also pay attention to the images
It’s not just the words that are important. A package communicates through text, photographs, drawings, symbols and other graphic elements. For this reason, the overall image conveyed to the consumer can also have an impact.
Let’s think about a package that shows animals outdoors in a large meadow. If that representation leads the consumer to believe that the animals are raised that way, when instead the image does not correspond to the conditions actually guaranteed by the product, it can become problematic.
Therefore, it is not only what the company writes in black and white that counts, but also the overall impression that the communication is able to create.
Sustainability stickers
Here the rules become more precise. It’s one thing to write on the packaging that a company has certain practices; another is to use a sustainability mark, i.e. a sticker or symbol intended to distinguish the product on the basis of certain environmental or social characteristics.
From 27 September, a brand of this type can only be used if it has been established by a public authority or is based on a certification system which, in turn, must respect precise conditions: the requirements must be accessible, the system must be transparent and non-discriminatory and compliance must be verified by a competent and independent third-party body.
So every product that talks about “animal welfare” will have to have a certification? No, and this is an important point. The new legislation does not require independent certification for every animal welfare statement. A company will be able to continue to communicate its breeding practices, as long as what it states is truthful, not misleading and consistent with the conditions actually guaranteed.
Certification by a third-party body, however, becomes a requirement when using a sustainability brand subject to the new rules, such as a sticker intended to distinguish the product on the basis of certain environmental or social characteristics.
Even a certification is not a pass and does not mean you can use any advertising message on animal welfare. Communication must remain consistent with what that certification actually verifies.
If a system certifies certain requirements, the logo should not be used to suggest that other characteristics that are not covered by the control are also guaranteed. It is an important distinction because even an authentic sticker can be accompanied by much broader communication than its real meaning.
What changes for companies
For companies it means reviewing not only labels but also websites, advertising, social networks, promotional material, images and communications in points of sale.
The objective should be to verify, for each message on animal welfare, that it is clear what is actually being declared; which animals and which part of the supply chain it refers to; which conditions are actually guaranteed; which elements allow the claim to be supported and finally whether any logos or stickers are based on a system compliant with the new rules.
What risks those who communicate deceptively
The new provisions are part of the already existing Italian system against unfair commercial practices. The Competition and Market Authority (AGCM) can intervene in cases within its competence and, as part of the proceedings, ask to provide elements that demonstrate the accuracy of the factual statements used in the communication.
If the company fails to provide the requested elements or those provided are not sufficient, the legislation provides for consequences on the evaluation of the correctness of the communication.
The sanctions provided for by the Consumer Code for unfair commercial practices can reach up to 10 million euros, depending on the conditions established by law.
