Business and Human Rights: Consumer Protection and the Environment

This project will explore how consumers’ rights can protect the environment. Consumers’ rights should empower consumers to ensure that businesses offer more sustainable choices. They should also hold businesses accountable for activities that impact on the environment.
Project Status
Ongoing
Project start date
June
2022

What?

This project will explore how consumers’ rights can protect the environment. Consumers’ rights should empower consumers to ensure that businesses offer more sustainable choices. They should also hold businesses accountable for activities that impact on the environment.

Why?

Helping consumers play their part towards a more sustainable economy (‘green’ transition) is a key goal of EU consumer policy. Consumers and businesses are both increasingly interested in the environmental performance and climate neutrality of products and services. Nevertheless, studies show that consumers often lack the know-how to make informed choices. The project will support the promotion of the EU's sustainability agenda. It also relates to the ‘European Green Deal’, which refers to enforcing environmental legislation, as well as the New Consumer Agenda: Strengthening consumer resilience for sustainable recovery.

How?

The project will use desk research and consultations on relevant national law and practices to identify barriers and promising practices.