ACM: major coffee and cacao companies to adjust their sustainability claims and logos
Summary
- Three major international coffee and cacao companies will adjust unclear sustainability claims on their packaging. They have committed to this following discussions with ACM.
- Consumers need to have clear claims so that they are able to take sustainability aspects into account in their purchase decisions.
- ACM continues to keep a close watch on sustainability claims in other sectors.
Nestlé, Mondelez, and JDE Peet’s, which are major international coffee and cacao companies, will adjust unclear sustainability claims on their packaging. They have committed to this following discussions with the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). They will stop using vague claims such as ‘responsible’ (in Dutch: ‘verantwoord’), and ‘sustainable’ (in Dutch: ‘duurzaam’), and will review their own sustainability logos. The vague claims are confusing, and make it more difficult for consumers to make more-sustainable choices. From September 2026, the use of logos of one’s own sustainability programs will only be allowed under strict conditions. When ACM launched its sector study into sustainability claims in the coffee and cacao sector, these companies had already started bringing their claims in line with the upcoming European rules.
Martijn Ridderbos, Member of the Board of ACM, adds: “It’s good that these companies stop using vague sustainability claims, and will review their self-created sustainability logos. Consumers that wish to make sustainable choices must be able to base their decisions on clear and unequivocal sustainability information. In that way, they are better able to compare products and brands with each other. We hope that other companies will follow their example soon. That will make mutual competition also fairer.”
These products have a long shelf life, which means that the batches of products with the adjusted claims will start hitting stores in the first months of 2026.
Sector study into sustainability claims in the coffee and cacao sector
ACM last year launched its study into the coffee and cacao sector, because, at the time, it was the sector where it found the most unclear sustainability claims. Sustainability claims on coffee and chocolate packaging do not just concern the climate, but also labor conditions and human rights. ACM saw that companies used claims such as ‘responsibly’ or ‘sustainably sourced cacao’. The use of vague terms can mislead consumers, because it is unclear what sustainability benefit the product has, and can thus create false expectations among consumers. Since these companies used unclear claims, ACM initiated discussions with them about those claims. In those discussions with ACM, the companies committed to no longer displaying these claims on their new packaging, and to reviewing their own sustainability logos.
ACM and sustainability
In 2025, ACM carried out a study into sustainability claims in the food sector, particularly in the coffee and cacao sector.
In 2026, the new EU directive called ECGT (Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition) will come into effect. This directive aims to strengthen the position of consumers in the green transition. According to the directive, companies are only allowed to use an independent sustainability logo under strict conditions. One of those conditions is that other companies have the opportunity to participate. Since 2020, ACM has called on companies to stop using such self-created logos that are confusing to consumers, to reduce the number of labels, and to strive for fewer yet good and uniform labels.
ACM ensures that markets work well for people and businesses, now and in the future. Improving the sustainability of products and consumption is essential for a future-proof society. ACM contributes to this goal by conducting oversight over the sustainability claims used by businesses. This is important for consumers, so that they are protected against misleading claims and are able to make more-sustainable choices with confidence. If companies communicate correctly and clearly about the efforts they make towards sustainability, it will also boost fair competition between companies.