Data & ResearchMarch 24, 2026•Updated: 9 November 2026

Sustainability & ESG
marketing statistics 2026

50+ verified data points on sustainability and ESG in marketing. From consumer attitudes and greenwashing to CSRD scope and the new EU rules on green claims. Every figure links to its source: European Commission, Eurobarometer, Thuiswinkel.org, ACM and more.

53.3%

of environmental claims examined in the EU were vague, misleading or unfounded

Source: European Commission, 2023

52%

of Dutch consumers find sustainability (very) important when shopping online (2024: 45%)

Source: Thuiswinkel.org, 2026

1,000+

employees: the new CSRD threshold after the December 2025 Omnibus agreement

Source: Law Society Gazette, 2025

Statistics overview

Sustainability claims are regulated more tightly than ever. Since 27 September 2026 the EU directive on empowering consumers for the green transition applies, the CSRD has been narrowed to the largest companies, and regulators such as the Dutch ACM actively check green claims. Brands need to back their sustainability communication with verifiable facts.

This page compiles 50+ verified statistics on sustainability and ESG in marketing, each linked to its source: the European Commission, Eurobarometer, Thuiswinkel.org, the Dutch regulator ACM, Capgemini Research Institute and B Lab. Whether you're building a sustainability proposition with an online marketing agency, preparing a CSRD communication strategy, or simply staying informed: this data hub gives you the numbers you need.

Section 1

Consumer behavior & sustainability

94%

of Europeans say protecting the environment is important to them personally

Source: Special Eurobarometer 501, via EC

68%

of Europeans agree their consumption habits harm the environment

Source: Special Eurobarometer 501, via EC

64%

of consumers in 12 countries call sustainability a critical purchase factor

Source: Capgemini, 2025

52%

of Dutch consumers find sustainability important when shopping online

Source: Thuiswinkel.org, 2026

What European consumers say about sustainable choices

Protecting the environment is personally important94%
Environmental impact of household appliances matters when choosing78%
My consumption habits harm the environment68%
Have repaired products in the past64%

Sources: Special Eurobarometer 501, via EC, Consumer Market Monitoring Survey, via EC 2021, EC behavioural study, 2018

  • Only 17% of Dutch online shoppers take sustainability into account when choosing a product; for 13% it is decisive. Price and quality still weigh more (Thuiswinkel.org, 2026)
  • Packaging is the main lever: 47% of Dutch online shoppers name more sustainable packaging, 40% want less plastic, 16% less overpackaging and 9% less air in parcels (Thuiswinkel.org, 2026)
  • Just over three-quarters of Dutch online shoppers prefer cardboard over plastic for deliveries (Thuiswinkel.org, 2026)
  • 43% never look for information about sustainable online shopping; the webshop itself remains the main source (Thuiswinkel.org, 2026)
  • Around 90% of consumers in a 12-country EU survey had no experience with renting, leasing or buying second-hand; 36% had never had a product repaired (European Commission, 2018)
  • 71% of consumers are aware of the environmental impact of food waste (12,000 consumers, 12 countries including the Netherlands) (Capgemini, 2025)
Section 2

Green marketing effectiveness

Claims
53.3%

of environmental claims examined in the EU were vague, misleading or unfounded

Unsubstantiated: 40%Study year: 2020

Source: European Commission, 2023

Sweep
42%

of 344 checked online green claims were likely exaggerated, false or deceptive

No easy evidence: 59%Vague terms: 37%

Source: European Commission, 2021

Labels
230

sustainability labels in the EU, which vary widely in transparency

Green energy labels: 100Weak or no verification: half

Source: European Commission

  • In more than half of the 344 cases, the trader did not give consumers enough information to judge whether the claim was accurate (European Commission, 2021)
  • Consumers are sceptical of green claims: in research for the Dutch ACM, specific and nuanced claims were found more credible than absolute or vague claims (ACM, 2023)
  • Over 10,000 companies are certified B Corps; B Lab's network is active in over 100 countries (B Lab, 2026)
  • Unclear claims cost money: after commitments to the ACM, H&M donated €500,000 and Decathlon €400,000 to a sustainability cause in the clothing industry (ACM, 2022; ACM, 2022)
Section 3

ESG reporting & CSRD

~50,000

EU companies in the original CSRD scope (11,000 under the NFRD)

Source: European Commission, 2021

~80%

fewer companies in scope under the Omnibus proposal

Source: European Commission, 2025

1,000+

employees: new CSRD threshold after the December 2025 agreement

Source: Law Society Gazette, 2025

€450M

net turnover: second threshold that must also be exceeded

Source: Law Society Gazette, 2025

  • Original scope: all large companies exceeding two of three thresholds (250 employees, €50 million net turnover, €25 million balance sheet total) plus listed SMEs (European Commission, 2025)
  • Timeline: the stop-the-clock agreement of 14 April 2025 postponed reporting for wave 2 and 3 companies by two years; the political agreement on Omnibus I followed on 9 December 2025 (European Commission)
  • Non-EU groups fall under the CSRD with more than €450 million net turnover generated in the EU (Law Society Gazette, 2025)
  • Due diligence (CSDDD): under the agreement it only applies to companies with more than 5,000 employees and €1.5 billion net turnover (Law Society Gazette, 2025)
  • Simplified EU Taxonomy templates cut the number of data points by almost 70% (European Commission, 2025)
  • On 3 July 2026 the Commission adopted two delegated acts, one of which simplifies sustainability reporting standards (European Commission)
Section 4

Sustainable marketing budgets

€4.4B

estimated annual savings from the smaller CSRD scope and simpler ESRS

Source: European Commission, 2025

€1.6B

one-off savings on setting up reporting and assurance

Source: European Commission, 2025

€900K

maximum ACM fine per violation for misleading claims, or a share of turnover (2021)

Source: ACM, 2021

€500K

donated by H&M after commitments on unclear green claims

Source: ACM, 2022

  • No public benchmark: we found no independent, verifiable measurement of the share of marketing budgets spent on sustainability messaging. This section therefore shows verified costs around reporting and misleading claims.
  • The full Omnibus package is estimated to save about €6.3 billion in annual administrative costs; the Commission targets at least 25% less administrative burden, and 35% for SMEs (European Commission, 2025)
  • Decathlon donated €400,000 to a sustainability cause after its commitments to the ACM on unclear claims (ACM, 2022)
Section 5

Social media & sustainability

97%

of 576 influencers checked by EU authorities posted commercial content

Source: European Commission, 2024

20%

systematically disclosed that content as advertising

Source: European Commission, 2024

358

influencers were earmarked for further investigation

Source: European Commission, 2024

  • 38% did not use platform labels such as the "paid partnership" toggle on Instagram to disclose commercial content (European Commission, 2024)
  • 78% had a commercial activity, but only 36% were registered as traders at national level (European Commission, 2024)
  • Only 40% kept the disclosure visible during the entire commercial communication; 34% made it visible without extra clicks (European Commission, 2024)
  • Video counts too: the EU definition of a generic environmental claim covers written and oral claims, including audiovisual media (European Commission, 2026)
Section 6

Future predictions

2023

Green Claims Directive proposed, still pending

The European Commission adopted the proposal in March 2023. Its page still lists the directive as pending, so it does not apply yet.

Source: European Commission

2025

CSRD narrowed to the largest companies

Political agreement on Omnibus I on 9 December 2025: reporting only for companies with more than 1,000 employees and more than €450 million net turnover.

Sources: European Commission, Law Society Gazette, 2025

2026

EU green claims rules apply since 27 September

Directive (EU) 2024/825 was adopted on 28 February 2024, had to be transposed by 27 March 2026 and applies since 27 September 2026. Generic claims such as "eco-friendly" are only allowed with recognised excellent environmental performance.

Sources: European Commission, EC Q&A, 2026

  • Offset-based product claims are banned: claiming that a product is "climate neutral" or has a reduced or positive emissions impact based on offsetting is prohibited; offset claims at company level remain subject to the general rules (European Commission, 2026)
  • Sustainability labels must be based on a certification scheme or established by public authorities (European Commission, 2026)
  • Packaging pressure: 40% of plastics and 50% of paper used in the EU goes into packaging; without action, packaging waste would grow another 19% by 2030 after rising more than 20% in ten years (European Commission, 2022)

Translating ESG data into believable, channel-ready campaigns sits squarely in the wheelhouse of a modern digital marketing agency that can connect CSRD reporting to website, search and social touchpoints.

For B2B brands whose sustainability story primarily lands with decision-makers on LinkedIn, an experienced B2B marketing agency is often the fastest route to pipeline impact.

Summary

Key takeaways

1

Consumers care, but act selectively

94% of Europeans find protecting the environment important, yet only 17% of Dutch online shoppers weigh sustainability when choosing a product.

2

Greenwashing is widespread

53.3% of examined EU environmental claims were vague, misleading or unfounded. In a 2021 sweep, 42% of checked claims were likely deceptive.

3

The CSRD got narrower

From nearly 50,000 companies in the original scope to companies with more than 1,000 employees and €450 million turnover after the Omnibus agreement.

4

Specific beats vague

Since 27 September 2026, generic claims need recognised excellent environmental performance. Consumers already found specific claims more credible.

5

Enforcement has teeth

The ACM can fine up to €900,000 per violation (2021). H&M and Decathlon donated €500,000 and €400,000 after commitments.

6

Social posts count too

97% of checked influencers posted commercial content, but only 20% disclosed it systematically. EU claim rules also cover audiovisual media.

Methodology & sources

The statistics on this page are compiled from publicly available research reports. Key sources include:

  • European Commission: green claims study (2020) and Q&A (2023), greenwashing sweep (2021), influencer sweep (2024), CSRD and Omnibus press releases and Q&A, ECGT Q&A (2026)
  • Eurobarometer: Special Eurobarometer 501, as cited by the European Commission
  • Thuiswinkel.org: Duurzaamheid Monitor 2026 (Dutch online shoppers)
  • ACM (Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets): enforcement news and consumer research on sustainability claims
  • Capgemini Research Institute: What matters to today's consumer 2025
  • Law Society Gazette Ireland: thresholds of the Omnibus agreement (December 2025)
  • B Lab: B Corp certification figures

Disclaimer: Every figure links to the source we opened when updating this page on 9 November 2026. EU and international figures are labelled as such. Descriptions of EU and Dutch rules are factual summaries with a source, not legal advice. This page is for informational purposes only.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What percentage of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products in 2026?

We found no independent 2026 measurement of willingness to pay more that we could open and verify, so this page shows related measurements. In a 2025 Capgemini survey of 12,000 consumers in 12 countries, 64% called sustainability a critical factor in purchasing. In the Netherlands, 52% of consumers find sustainability (very) important when shopping online (2024: 45%), but only 17% take it into account when choosing a product and for 13% it is decisive (Thuiswinkel.org, 2026).

What is the impact of greenwashing on brand trust?

A European Commission study from 2020 found that 53.3% of environmental claims examined in the EU were vague, misleading or unfounded, and 40% were unsubstantiated. In a 2021 sweep of 344 online claims, authorities had reason to believe 42% were exaggerated, false or deceptive. Research for the Dutch ACM (2023) shows consumers are sceptical and find specific claims more credible than vague ones. Since 27 September 2026, generic claims such as "eco-friendly" are only allowed with recognised excellent environmental performance (Directive (EU) 2024/825). This is a factual summary, not legal advice.

Which companies must comply with CSRD reporting requirements?

Under the original CSRD, all large companies exceeding two of three thresholds (250 employees, EUR 50 million net turnover, EUR 25 million balance sheet total) plus listed SMEs had to report: nearly 50,000 companies, according to the European Commission. With the Omnibus I agreement of 9 December 2025, the CSRD only applies to companies with more than 1,000 employees and more than EUR 450 million net turnover; the Commission estimated its proposal would remove about 80% of companies from scope. Reporting for wave 2 and 3 companies was postponed by two years. Check the final legal text for your own situation.

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Ruud ten Have

Compiled by

Ruud ten Have

Ruud is a digital marketer with 10+ years of experience in online advertising and AI implementation. At Searchlab, he combines strategic thinking with hands-on AI tooling to deliver measurable results for businesses.

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