New figures for March 2026 confirm that the EU Ecolabel is playing an increasingly central role in Europe’s green transition. With continued growth across product groups and countries, the scheme is helping to anchor sustainability more firmly within everyday market choices.
As of March 2026, a whopping 116,692 products, spanning goods and services, have been awarded the EU Ecolabel, backed by 3,541 licences, with 97% rooted in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Positive trends since September 2025
The latest statistics show that since September 2025, the EU Ecolabel has experienced continued growth across most product groups. The total number of awarded products has increased by 7% (+7,596 products), while the number of licences has risen by 5% (+157 licences).
This upward trend reflects sustained interest from businesses, retailers and consumers in environmentally responsible products and confirms the market’s trust in the EU Ecolabel. Zooming in across Europe, familiar frontrunners are still leading the charge: Italy, Spain, France and Germany top the chart in terms of awarded products.
Leading product groups
Tourist accommodation accounts for 27% of all licences, followed by hard surface cleaning products (13%), tissue paper/tissue products (8%) and indoor cleaning services (8%). Paints and varnishes accounts for 33% of all products, followed by tissue paper/tissue products (18%), textiles (10%), and furniture (9%). These figures underline the importance of both service-based and high-volume consumer good categories in driving the overall growth of the scheme.
Strong participation of SMEs
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain key contributors to the success of the EU Ecolabel scheme. Based on available data, approximately 61% of licence holders are SMEs, underlining the accessibility of the scheme to businesses of all sizes. The high level of SME participation highlights the role of the EU Ecolabel in fostering inclusive growth, enabling smaller companies to differentiate their products on the market while contributing to broader environmental objectives.
Ongoing evolution of product groups
The EU Ecolabel framework continues to evolve in line with technological and market developments. Several product groups criteria have been revised or established in recent years ensuring that the EU Ecolabel remains aligned with evolving environmental standards and market needs. The latest revisions include cosmetic and animal care products (new product group) in 2021, growing media and soil improvers in 2022, absorbent hygiene products and reusable menstrual cups (new product group) in 2023. In 2025 the revised criteria for paints and varnishes were adopted, including the introduction of a new product group, water-based aerosol spray paints.
Moreover, the EU Ecolabel criteria of the following product groups are currently being revised: detergents and cleaning products (adoption expected at the end of the 2026), tourist accommodation services and indoor cleaning services (adoption expected at the end of 2027).
Overall, the March 2026 figures confirm the EU Ecolabel’s continued relevance and effectiveness as a voluntary instrument supporting sustainable production and consumption across Europe.
More information
The latest EU Ecolabel statistics are available here
Learn more about why the EU Ecolabel matters to businesses, consumers, retailers and how to apply at www.ecolabel.eu.
Explore the EU Ecolabel Product Catalogue and the EU Ecolabel Tourist Accommodation Catalogue!
