Environmental certifications for food and services

Between May and June 2026 ISO rewrote the entire series of standards onenvironmental labeling, in addition to publishing the fourth edition of ISO 14001. Starting from 27 September 2026, the ECGT directive (Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition) prohibits displaying sustainability labels not based on a certification system or an act of public authority.

This article offers a brief overview of the environmental certification standards and schemes applicable to food products and related services — distribution and catering — and assesses their compliance with the new rules. Social aspects and other quality systems are covered in dedicated articles, to which reference is made.

The ISO framework, rewritten in 2026

The general reference is the standard ISO 14020:2022, 'Environmental statements and programmes for products. Principles and general requirements'. Under it are placed three standards, all renewed this year:

• ISO 14024:2026, 'Environmental statements and programmes for products. Ecolabels’, of 4 May 2026, which replaced ISO 14024:2018;
• ISO 14021:2026, 'Environmental statements and programmes for products. Self-declared environmental claims’, of 24 June 2026, which replaced ISO 14021:2016 and its 2021 amendment;
• ISO 14025:2026, Environmental statements and programmes for products. Environmental product declarations (EPDs)’, of 24 June 2026, which replaced ISO 14025:2006.

The expressions ‘Type I’, ‘Type II’ e ‘Type III’ have disappeared from the titles. Whoever still cites ‘ISO 14024:2018 — Type I’ in a specification or commercial material is referring to a withdrawn standard.

Of the three families, the ecolabel — multi-criteria programs that assign a label to environmentally preferable products in a category — do not cover food products. The EU Ecolabel does not exclude them a priori from its scope, which covers any good or service except medicines and medical devices (Reg. EC 66/2010, art. 2.1 and 2.2), and indeed planned a feasibility study (Reg. EC 66/2010, art. 6.5); however, the European Commission declares it does not intend to develop criteria for food and feed, and none of the eleven current product groups are food-related. Blue Angel explicitly excludes food, Nordic Swan has no food criteria. The place that ecolabels occupy in other sectors, in agri-food is occupied by organic and national quality systems.

Thus, for food products, quantified environmental declarations and self-declarations remain in place. The ecolabel apply instead to services, where mature criteria exist for retail and catering, still underutilized.

Standards applicable to food products

Environmental product declarations

The EPD, Environmental Product Declarations, present quantified environmental data on predetermined parameters, developed according to product category rules and subject to independent verification of life cycle data and the declaration itself, under the responsibility of a program operator (ISO 14025). The methodological basis is the Life Cycle Assessment (ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2006).

The main international program operator, theEPD International System, published on July 14, 2025 the PCR 2025:03 ‘Food and Beverage’, single framework rule under which the twenty-seven pre-existing food category rules are gradually aligned, with subcategory requirements entrusted to complementary rules. Several historical rules — from dairy products to dry pasta — have meanwhile expired, pending complementary ones.

The environmental footprint and ‘Made Green in Italy’

The European environmental footprint method is recommended by recommendation (EU) 2021/2279 of the Commission. The adopted category rules concerning food, beverages and feed are today seven: beer, dairy, feed for food producing animals, packed water, Pasta, Pet Food, wine. Five of these are currently under revision, while a rule for seafood is in development. The method remains a voluntary tool: no binding act has made it mandatory and the new recommendation, expected in 2026, has not yet been adopted.

The national scheme is based on this method ‘Made Green in Italy’, established by decree of the Ministry of the Environment March 21, 2018, No. 56, in implementation of law 221/2015, art. 21.1, with three performance classes and the right to use the logo for the first two.

Single footprints and the challenge of carbon neutrality

Alongside the multicriteria assessment, there are standards on individual footprints:

• ISO 14067:2018 on the product carbon footprint, currently under revision;
• ISO 14046:2014 on the water footprint;
• ISO 14064-1:2018 for quantification at the organization level.

Particular attention deserves ISO 14068-1:2023 on carbon neutrality, which will be replaced by ISO 14068 — 'Climate change management. Carbon neutrality' — to be published in September 2026, which establishes an explicit hierarchy: first emission reductions and increased removals, and only then compensation.

The European legislator has tightened this hierarchy by introducing an explicit ban on claiming, based on greenhouse gas emission compensation, that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment (EU directive 2024/825, Annex I, point 4 quarter). From September 27, 2026 the claim 'carbon neutral' built oncredit purchase therefore constitutes an unfair commercial practice.

Supply chain schemes on raw materials

For fishery products operates the MSC Fisheries Standard v3.1, effective from July 22, 2024, and the MSC chain of custody standards; on aquaculture theASC Farm Standard, entered into force on August 1, 2025, replacing the twelve species standards, with the chain of custody entrusted to the MSC standard integrated by an ASC module.

Regarding tropical raw materials, the Rainforest Alliance Regenerative Agriculture Standard, whose Farm Requirements v1.0 are effective from March 1, 2026. The chain of custody models to which these schemes align — identity preserved, mass balance, book and claim — are codified by the ISO 22095:2020, amended in January 2026.

'Zero residue'

The 'zero residue' (Dongo, 2018) certification is not based on public standards or technical norms but on private specifications that can be certified by accredited bodies. The tolerance threshold generally refers to the analytical quantification limit of 0.01 mg/kg and multi-residue analysis by accredited laboratories (Djekic et al., 2023). Some schemes also require, as a (logical) prerequisite, integrated production certification according to the UNI 11233 standard, the SQNPI.

A study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production (Califano et al., 2025) — on Italian consumer attitudes and fresh tomatoes — shows that the price premium is highest for organic, followed by integrated pest management and zero residue, and that the interaction between integrated pest management and zero residue yields a willingness to pay comparable to that for organic.

Schemes applicable to services

The ecolabel are very effective in food-related service sectors, although still little spread in Italy.

Nordic Swan Ecolabel has specific criteria for distribution and catering: Grocery stores 079, version 4.4 valid until August 31, 2028; Food services and conference facilities 110, version 1.6 until February 28, 2028; Coffee service 100, version 2.2 until December 31, 2028; Hotels and other accommodation 055; and, on the materials front, Disposables for food 047 and Packaging for liquid foods 103.

EU Ecolabel has only one service group, tourist accommodation, whose criteria are established by decision (EU) 2017/175 and whose validity has been extended to December 31, 2027; the revision is underway at the JRC. No criteria for catering or retail outlets.

Green Key, managed by Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), based in Copenhagen, certifies six categories, including restaurants in addition to accommodation facilities, campsites, conference centers, and attractions; the 2022-2026 criteria remain valid until October 2026, and the 2026-2031 set is already published.

On the management systems side, ISO 14001 is available in the fourth edition, published on April 15, 2026, which replaced the 2015 version: certified organizations have a transition period ahead, and those undergoing renewal should check the schedule.

EMAS (Regulation EC 1221/2009) also provides sectoral reference documents for retail trade, for tourism — which explicitly covers catering services — and for the food and beverage industry, useful as a performance benchmark even for those not adhering to the system.

The test of September 27, 2026

The ECGT directive, transposed in Italy by Legislative Decree 20 February 2026, no. 30, applies from 27 September 2026 (EU dir. 2024/825, art. 4; Legislative Decree 30/2026, art. 2). It is sustainability label any trust mark, quality mark or equivalent, public or private, of a voluntary nature, which aims to distinguish and promote a product, a process or an enterprise with reference to its environmental or social characteristics or both. It is certification system a third-party verification system that certifies compliance with certain requirements, allowing the use of a corresponding sustainability label and whose conditions are accessible to the public.

The resulting prohibitions, as far as relevant here:

• it is prohibited to display a sustainability label that is not based on a certification system or not established by public authorities (EU dir. 2024/825, Annex I, point 2 bis);
• it is prohibited to make a generic environmental claim when the operator is unable to demonstrate higher-level environmental performance, recognized and relevant to the claim (EU dir. 2024/825, Annex I, point 4 bis);
• it is prohibited to refer to the product or activity as a whole a claim concerning only a specific aspect (EU dir. 2024/825, Annex I, point 4 ter);
• it is prohibited to claim carbon neutrality based on offsetting (EU dir. 2024/825, Annex I, point 4 quater).

The resulting hierarchy is clear. The EPDs and the ecolabel of services, relying on third-party verification, pass the scrutiny. Self-declarations pass only as long as they remain specific and substantiated claims: once they take the form of a label they become sustainability marks and require a certification system behind them. The score private ones and the ‘zero residual’ standards are the most exposed.

Other certifications

The scope of this article is that of environmental product and service standards. Other systems that contribute to supporting sustainability claims are dealt with elsewhere, in this section of GIFT: the organic and the Italian organic label, theintegrated farming and the SQNPI, the SQNBA and the SQNZ for breeding, the animal welfare certifications. On the social side, SA8000, FSSC 24000 and the gender equality regulations.

Conclusions

The environmental sustainability of food products — outside the organic sector, which is always entitled to claim it based on regulation (EU) 2018/848 — is communicated today in only two ways:

• with data quantified and verified by third parties;
• with a label based on a certification system or a public act.

In services, among other things, there are ecolabel mature and little used in Italy: those who manage outlets or catering have ready tools at their disposal, and competitors who do not use them.

The team of FARE (Food and Agriculture Requirements) supports operators in the strategic selection of the most suitable certifications for specific needs, as well as in verifying the compliance of labels, promotional materials, and websites with applicable rules and best practices.

Dario Dongo

Credit cover CCPB

References

Legislative sources of the European Union

Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market (‘Unfair Commercial Practices Directive’). Consolidated text: 28/05/2022. http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2005/29/2022-05-28

Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS). Consolidated text: 12/07/2023. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1221/2023-07-12

Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the EU Ecolabel. Consolidated text: 14/11/2017. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2010/66/2017-11-14

Commission Decision (EU) 2017/175 of 25 January 2017 on establishing EU Ecolabel criteria for tourist accommodation. Consolidated text: 20/12/2024. Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/2279 of 15 December 2021 on the use of the Environmental Footprint methods to measure and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organisations. Official Journal of the European Union, 30.12.2021.

Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/2279 of 15 December 2021 on the use of the Environmental Footprint methods to measure and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organisations. Official Journal of the European Union, 30.12.2021. Directive (EU) 2024/825 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 February 2024 amending Directives 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU as regards empowering consumers for the green transition through better protection against unfair practices and better information. Official Journal of the European Union, 6.3.2024.

Directive (EU) 2024/825 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 February 2024 amending Directives 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU as regards empowering consumers for the green transition through better protection against unfair practices and better information. Official Journal of the European Union, 6.3.2024. National regulatory sources

National legislative sources

Law 28 December 2015, No. 221, Provisions on environmental matters to promote green economy measures and to contain excessive use of natural resources. Normattiva. Last consolidated version: 02/02/2016. https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:legge:2015-12-28;221

Decree of the Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea 21 March 2018, No. 56, Regulation for the implementation of the national voluntary scheme for the evaluation and communication of the environmental footprint of products, called 'Made Green in Italy'. Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, General Series No. 123 of 29 May 2018. https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2018/05/29/18G00078/sg

Legislative Decree 20 February 2026, No. 30, Implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/825. Normattiva. Last consolidated version: 24/03/2026. https://www.normattiva.it/eli/id/2026/03/09/26G00047/CONSOLIDATED

Technical standards

ISO 14001:2026, Environmental management systems. Requirements with guidance for use. https://www.iso.org/standard/14001

ISO 14020:2022, Environmental statements and programmes for products. Principles and general requirements. https://www.iso.org/standard/79479.html

ISO 14021:2026, Environmental statements and programmes for products. Self-declared environmental claims. https://www.iso.org/standard/87608.html

ISO 14024:2026, Environmental statements and programmes for products. Ecolabels. https://www.iso.org/standard/14024

ISO 14025:2026, Environmental statements and programmes for products. Environmental product declarations (EPDs). https://www.iso.org/standard/87610.html

ISO 14040:2006, Environmental management. Life cycle assessment. Principles and framework. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html

ISO 14044:2006, Environmental management. Life cycle assessment. Requirements and guidelines. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html

ISO 14046:2014, Environmental management. Water footprint. Principles, requirements and guidelines. https://www.iso.org/standard/43263.html

ISO 14064-1:2018, Greenhouse gases. Part 1: Specification with guidance at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals. https://www.iso.org/standard/66453.html

ISO 14067:2018, Greenhouse gases. Carbon footprint of products. Requirements and guidelines for quantification. https://www.iso.org/standard/71206.html

ISO 14068-1:2023, Climate change management. Transition to net zero. Part 1: Carbon neutrality. https://www.iso.org/standard/43279.html

ISO 22095:2020, Chain of custody. General terminology and models. https://www.iso.org/standard/72532.html

Scientific articles

Califano, G., Di Vita, G., Raimondo, M., Spina, D., D’Amico, M., & Caracciolo, F. (2025). Premium pricing for zero residue certification: the role of environmental concern and health consciousness in consumer preferences for eco-labels on fresh tomatoes. Journal of Cleaner Production, 518, 145928. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145928

Djekic, I., Smigic, N., Udovicki, B., & Tomic, N. (2023). ‘Zero residue’ concept. Implementation and certification challenges. Standards, 3(2), 177-186. https://doi.org/10.3390/standards3020014

Institutional sources and schemes

ASC. Farm Standard. https://programme-centre.asc-aqua.org/farm-v1/farm-standard/

EPD International. PCR 2025:03 Food and Beverage. https://www.environdec.com/news/pcr-food-and-beverage

European Commission. EU Ecolabel product groups and criteria. https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy-topics/eu-ecolabel/product-groups-and-criteria_en

European Commission. Product Environmental Footprint method. https://green-forum.ec.europa.eu/green-business/environmental-footprint-methods/pef-method_en

European Commission, JRC. EMAS sectoral reference documents. https://susproc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/product-bureau/activities/emas/index.html

Foundation for Environmental Education. Green Key criteria. https://www.greenkey.global/criteria

MSC. Program documents. https://www.msc.org/for-business/program-documents

Nordic Swan Ecolabel. Criteria. https://www.nordic-swan-ecolabel.org/criteria/

Legal insights

Dongo, D. (2018, November 10). Without glyphosate, zero residues, values and rules. FT (Food Times). https://www.foodtimes.eu/it/consumatori-e-salute/senza-glifosate-residui-zero-valori-e-regole/