New consumer protection rules: What changes will occur for corporate communication
New consumer protection rules: What changes will occur for corporate communication
From September 2026, an amendment to the Consumer Protection Act will come into force, which will significantly tighten the rules for how companies communicate the properties of their products and services. It is not just a question of marketing or reputation. The new regulation strengthens the responsibility of entrepreneurs for the truthfulness and verifiability of claims that may affect customers' decisions.
The law responds to the growing number of cases where consumers are influenced by generic or imprecisely worded messages about the impact of products. It will now be crucial that each such claim is specific, verifiable and supported by data. Good intentions or a general statement are not enough – the company's ability to prove on what basis it makes its claim will be decisive.
In particular, general communications without a clear explanation, comparisons without a transparent reference base, or statements about future corporate impact reduction goals without a specific plan will be considered risky. For example, if a company publicly declares that it will achieve a certain emission reduction target within a few years, it will have to be able to demonstrate the existence of a realistic plan, measurable indicators, allocated resources and continuous evaluation.
The law also prohibits the creation of custom marks or symbols that may give the impression of independent verification if there is no such verification. Likewise, it will not be possible to communicate the characteristics of the entire product if they only apply to a part of it, or to provide information about durability or repairability that does not correspond to reality.
A significant change is also the fact that public statements – for example in advertising or on websites – can become a legally enforceable obligation. If a company states specific product properties or its durability, it must be able to fulfill these claims. Otherwise, he exposes himself not only to the risk of a fine, which can reach up to several million crowns, but also to an impact on his reputation and customer relations.
For company management, this means only one thing: communication towards customers must be closely linked to the internal reality of the company. Marketing communications should be based on verified data that can be traced and defended before the supervisory authority. Companies should be clear about how they perform their calculations, what methodologies they use and how they are able to substantiate their claims in the event of an inspection.
Therefore, preparing for a new edit is not just a matter of editing texts on the website. It requires a review of existing communication, setting up internal processes, checking the wording used and risk assessment. Early preparation can prevent not only sanctions, but also costly reputational impacts.
In practice, it is useful to carry out an independent assessment of current marketing messages, to check their compliance with the legislation and to set clear rules for future communication. It is equally important to have documentation ready that demonstrates the calculation methodology and the transparency of the data used.
If you are not sure whether your current claims are sufficiently substantiated, it is advisable to analyze the situation in advance. A properly set up control and verification system will allow you to communicate with confidence and without unnecessary legal risk.
BDO is ready to support companies both in the revision of marketing communication and risk assessment, as well as in setting up internal processes and documentation that will ensure compliance with the new legislation. The aim is not to hamper commercial communications, but to ensure that they are sustainable, defensible and safe from a consumer protection perspective in the long term.
Good intentions are not enough - Data and evidence will be decisive
The law responds to the growing number of cases where consumers are influenced by generic or imprecisely worded messages about the impact of products. It will now be crucial that each such claim is specific, verifiable and supported by data. Good intentions or a general statement are not enough – the company's ability to prove on what basis it makes its claim will be decisive. In particular, general communications without a clear explanation, comparisons without a transparent reference base, or statements about future corporate impact reduction goals without a specific plan will be considered risky. For example, if a company publicly declares that it will achieve a certain emission reduction target within a few years, it will have to be able to demonstrate the existence of a realistic plan, measurable indicators, allocated resources and continuous evaluation.
The law also prohibits the creation of custom marks or symbols that may give the impression of independent verification if there is no such verification. Likewise, it will not be possible to communicate the characteristics of the entire product if they only apply to a part of it, or to provide information about durability or repairability that does not correspond to reality.
Public statement as a legal obligation
A significant change is also the fact that public statements – for example in advertising or on websites – can become a legally enforceable obligation. If a company states specific product properties or its durability, it must be able to fulfill these claims. Otherwise, he exposes himself not only to the risk of a fine, which can reach up to several million crowns, but also to an impact on his reputation and customer relations. For company management, this means only one thing: communication towards customers must be closely linked to the internal reality of the company. Marketing communications should be based on verified data that can be traced and defended before the supervisory authority. Companies should be clear about how they perform their calculations, what methodologies they use and how they are able to substantiate their claims in the event of an inspection.
Preparation is not just editing text on the web
Therefore, preparing for a new edit is not just a matter of editing texts on the website. It requires a review of existing communication, setting up internal processes, checking the wording used and risk assessment. Early preparation can prevent not only sanctions, but also costly reputational impacts. In practice, it is useful to carry out an independent assessment of current marketing messages, to check their compliance with the legislation and to set clear rules for future communication. It is equally important to have documentation ready that demonstrates the calculation methodology and the transparency of the data used.
If you are not sure whether your current claims are sufficiently substantiated, it is advisable to analyze the situation in advance. A properly set up control and verification system will allow you to communicate with confidence and without unnecessary legal risk.