Polski
Green Claims and Golden Lids: When the Law Puts Packaging Under the Microscope
This week in the world of FMCG, cosmetics and private label makes one trend abundantly clear: packaging and labeling are no longer purely the domain of marketing — they're becoming the subject of real legal disputes. In Poland, UOKiK is scrutinizing the "green" claims of a cosmetics giant, while in China a discount private-label brand is explaining itself in court over packaging that bears a striking resemblance to a luxury cosmetic. Both cases, though playing out thousands of kilometers apart, point to the same thing: customers and regulators are watching what's on the label more closely than ever — and increasingly enforcing the consequences.
01 · Greenwashing
UOKiK vs. Garnier: green claims under the regulator's microscope [1]
The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has charged L'Oréal Polska with greenwashing over the "Green Product Labeling System" that the Garnier brand used on its cosmetics between 2021 and 2025. The problem UOKiK points to is fundamental: the system compared products only internally — against other cosmetics in L'Oréal's own portfolio — rather than against objective, external environmental criteria. In practice, the label may have suggested more to consumers than it actually guaranteed.
The company faces a fine of up to 10% of its annual turnover, and the case is far from an isolated incident — it's another chapter in UOKiK's broader offensive against questionable environmental claims on packaging. For the entire cosmetics and FMCG industry, this is a clear signal: in an era of growing regulatory pressure from the EU's PPWR regulation and ESG expectations, "green" claims on labels must be backed by hard, verifiable data — not just an internal marketing ranking.
It's worth private-label teams responsible for labeling conducting their own review of environmental communications today — before a regulator does it for them. A comparison like "greener than our previous product" is an entirely different category of claim from a confirmed, external environmental certification, and as the Garnier case shows, the line between them can prove costly.
02 · Packaging Knockoffs
Aldi vs. Shiseido: where does inspiration end and copying begin? [2]
The second case unfolds on the other side of the world, but touches the same nerve — the credibility of private-label packaging. Shiseido has sued Aldi's Chinese subsidiary, accusing it of infringing rights to the appearance of its packaging. At issue is a foundation from Aldi's own Lacura brand, priced at 24.9 yuan, whose look — the tube's color, the gold cap, the typography — allegedly bears a striking resemblance to the prestige product Clé de Peau Beauté, priced at 540 yuan, more than twenty times as much.
The hearing before the court in Shanghai is scheduled for November 5, 2026, and its outcome could set a precedent — establishing a real boundary between acceptable "inspiration" from premium brand aesthetics and unlawful packaging imitation. This is a particularly relevant topic for teams designing private-label lines for discount retailers: aggressive lookalike design, until recently often treated as a clever cost-saving strategy, is increasingly ending up in court.
For private-label designers, this offers a practical takeaway for right now: it's worth assessing in advance where a nod to a category's aesthetic ends and risky imitation of a specific, recognizable premium product begins. The outcome of the Shanghai case could become a reference point next year for similar disputes beyond China as well.
Both cases — though they concern different markets and different areas of law — share one conclusion: packaging and labeling are now an area of heightened regulatory and legal risk, requiring just as careful an audit as the product itself.
Summary
Summary
Both the Garnier case and the Aldi–Shiseido dispute show that the boundaries of acceptable packaging marketing — whether in environmental claims or in design inspired by luxury brands — are clearly tightening. For private-label brands, this is a signal to consult on labels and packaging for legal compliance already at the design stage, not just for aesthetics and cost.
Want to talk about how to design private-label packaging safely and effectively in this new regulatory reality? Join us at the NEW LABEL POLAND private label trade fair, where you'll meet packaging law experts, cosmetics manufacturers and private-label specialists from across Europe.
Invitation
Greenwashing and lookalike design are today a real legal risk, not just a reputational one. At the NEW LABEL POLAND private label trade fair you'll meet packaging and labeling law experts who will help you design a private label that's legally safe and credible to consumers. See how other manufacturers are handling the pressure of PPWR and ESG regulations. Reserve your spot today.
NEW LABEL POLAND 2026Footnotes
[1] Wiadomości Kosmetyczne — https://www.wiadomoscikosmetyczne.pl/biznes-kosmetyki/prawo-kosmetyczne/l-oreal-polska-z-zarzutem-greenwashingu-uokik-kwestionuje-eko-oznaczenia-kosmetykow-garnier-2538044[2] Wiadomości Kosmetyczne — https://www.wiadomoscikosmetyczne.pl/biznes-kosmetyki/prawo-kosmetyczne/aldi-vs-cle-de-peau-beaute-poszlo-o-dupe-kultowego-produktu-2538077