EN 16935:2017

Bio-based products - Requirements for Business-to-Consumer communication and claims

This European Standard specifies requirements for transparent and non-misleading business-to consumer communication of characteristics of bio-based products by means of labelling and claims. It does not specify requirements for bio-based products.
This European Standard is intended to be used as a tool to generate and transfer information to the consumer and/or as an input for product-specific standards and certification schemes.
Business to business communication is covered by FprEN 16848.[1]
NOTE   This standard is applicable to all claims which are based on or make reference to bio-based content (e.g. vegetable-based, plant-based).

Biobasierte Produkte - Anforderungen an die Aussagen von Unternehmen und die Kommunikation zwischen Unternehmen und Verbrauchern

Diese Europäische Norm legt die Anforderungen an eine transparente und nicht irreführende Kommunikation zwischen Unternehmen und Verbrauchern zu Merkmalen von biobasierten Produkten unter Anwendung von Kennzeichnung und Aussagen fest. Sie legt keine Anforderungen an biobasierte Produkte fest.
Diese Europäische Norm ist dazu vorgesehen, als Werkzeug zur Erzeugung und Weitergabe von Informationen an den Verbraucher und/oder als Anregung für produktspezifische Normen und Zertifizierungssysteme genutzt zu werden.
Die Kommunikation zwischen Unternehmen wird von EN 16848 [1] abgedeckt.
ANMERKUNG   Diese Norm gilt für alle Aussagen, die auf biobasierten Gehalt (z. B. pflanzenbasiert) verweisen oder sich auf einen solchen beziehen.

Produits biosourcés - Exigences relatives à la communication et aux déclarations entre entreprise et consommateur

La présente Norme européenne spécifie les exigences relatives à une communication transparente et non trompeuse des entreprises à destination des consommateurs concernant les caractéristiques des produits biosourcés, cette communication s’effectuant par l’intermédiaire d’étiquettes et de déclarations. Elle ne précise pas les exigences relatives aux produits biosourcés.
La présente Norme européenne est destinée à être utilisée comme outil pour générer et transférer des informations à destination du consommateur et/ou comme contribution aux normes et programmes de certification propres aux produits.
La communication entre entreprises est traitée dans le FprEN 16848 [1].
NOTE   La présente norme est applicable à toutes les déclarations basées sur ou faisant référence à une teneur biosourcée (par exemple, à base de végétaux, à base de plantes).

Bioizdelki - Poročanje in komunikacija med podjetji in potrošniki - Zahteve za trditve

Ta evropski standard določa zahteve za pregledno in nezavajajočo komunikacijo med podjetji in potrošniki o lastnostih bioizdelkov s pomočjo označevanja in trditev.
Ta evropski standard določa lastnosti bioizdelkov, o katerih se poroča potrošnikom.
Ta evropski standard določa zahteve za trditve, ki se nanašajo na bioizdelke, in ne določa zahtev glede bioloških lastnosti.
Ta evropski standard se lahko uporablja tudi kot osnova za vzpostavitev standardov za posamezne izdelke in certifikacijske sheme za posebne sektorje in trditve o izdelkih.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 09-May-2017
• Withdrawal Date: 29-Nov-2017
• ICS: 13.020.55 - Biobased products
• ICS: 13.020.60 - Product life-cycles
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 411 - Bio-based products
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 411/WG 5 - Certification and declaration tools
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 03-May-2024
• Completion Date: 23-Sep-2025
• Mandate: M/492 - Mandate addressed to CEN, CENELEC and ETSI for the development of European standards and other standardisation deliverables for bio-based products
• Ref Project: SIST EN 16935:2017 - Bio-based products - B2C reporting and communication - Requirements for claims

Overview

EN 16935:2017 (CEN) - "Bio-based products - Requirements for Business-to-Consumer communication and claims" defines rules for clear, transparent and non‑misleading labelling and claims about bio‑based products in business‑to‑consumer (B2C) contexts. It does not set product performance or composition requirements; instead it provides a harmonized framework to generate and transfer information to consumers and to feed into product‑specific standards and certification schemes.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Scope and intent
  • Applies to any claim referencing bio‑based content (e.g., plant‑based, vegetable‑based).
  • Business‑to‑business communication is covered separately by EN 16848.
• Principles
  • Communication must follow ISO 14020 principles for environmental labels and be transparent and verifiable.
• Bio‑based content reporting
  • Must declare a minimum percentage of biomass relative to total dry mass, formatted as “minimum X % bio‑based” or “> X % bio‑based”.
  • Determination methods: EN 16785‑1 (radiocarbon/elemental) or prEN 16785‑2 (material balance).
  • As an alternative in specific cases, bio‑based carbon (EN 16640) may be used when applicable.
• Product vs packaging
  • Claims must clearly indicate whether they refer to the product, packaging or packaging components.
  • Component claims are allowed only if the component is separable and separation instructions are provided.
• Sustainability statements
  • Any sustainability claim must be limited to the biomass fraction and referenced to recognized standards or certification schemes (see EN 16751).
• End‑of‑life information
  • If consumer disposal is relevant (e.g., packaging), recommended end‑of‑life options must be provided.
  • Biodegradability claims require relevant, internationally recognized test methods or standards.
• Additional information
  • LCA‑related claims must be based on EN 16760 or other recognized standards; Product Category Rules (PCRs) may be referenced where relevant.
• Verification and responsibility
  • The organization placing the product on the market must ensure claims are correct, verifiable and accessible to consumers.
• Examples
  • Annex A provides sample label and display formats.

Applications and Users

• Who uses it
  • Manufacturers, brand owners, marketers, packaging designers, retailers, certification bodies and standards developers.
• Practical uses
  • Designing compliant product labels and marketing claims.
  • Feeding standardized information into certification schemes or product standards.
  • Reducing consumer confusion between “bio‑based” and other “bio‑” terms (e.g., biodegradable).
  • Ensuring consistent B2C communication across EU markets.

Related Standards (select)

• EN 16785‑1 / prEN 16785‑2 - Bio‑based content determination
• EN 16760 - Life Cycle Assessment for bio‑based products
• EN 16575 - Vocabulary for bio‑based products
• EN 16848 - B2B communication of bio‑based product characteristics
• EN 16751 - Biomass sustainability aspects
• EN ISO 14020 / 14021 - Environmental labels and self‑declared claims

Keywords: EN 16935:2017, bio-based products, business-to-consumer communication, bio-based content, labelling, sustainability, end-of-life, CEN.

Standards Content (Sample)

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.WUGLWYHBiobasierte Produkte - Berichterstattung und Kommunikation zwischen Unternehmen und Verbrauchern - Anforderungen an AnbieteraussagenProduits biosourcés - Déclaration et communication en B2C - Exigences relatives aux allégationsBio-based products - B2C reporting and communication - Requirements for claims13.020.55Biološki izdelkiBiobased productsICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 16935:2017SIST EN 16935:2017en,fr,de01-julij-2017SIST EN 16935:2017SLOVENSKI
STANDARD
EUROPEAN STANDARD NORME EUROPÉENNE EUROPÄISCHE NORM
EN 16935
May
t r s y ICS
s uä r t rä w w English Version
Bioæbased products æ Requirements for BusinessætoæConsumer communication and claims Produits biosourcés æ Exigences relatives à la communication et aux déclarations entre entreprise et consommateur
Biobasierte Produkte æ Anforderungen an die Aussagen von Unternehmen und die Kommunikation zwischen Unternehmen und Verbrauchern This European Standard was approved by CEN on
s u February
t r s yä
egulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alterationä Upætoædate lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CENæCENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN memberä
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CENæCENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versionsä
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austriaá Belgiumá Bulgariaá Croatiaá Cyprusá Czech Republicá Denmarká Estoniaá Finlandá Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedoniaá Franceá Germanyá Greeceá Hungaryá Icelandá Irelandá Italyá Latviaá Lithuaniaá Luxembourgá Maltaá Netherlandsá Norwayá Polandá Portugalá Romaniaá Serbiaá Slovakiaá Sloveniaá Spainá Swedená Switzerlandá Turkey and United Kingdomä
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre:
Avenue Marnix 17,
B-1000 Brussels
t r s y CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national Membersä Refä Noä EN
s x { u wã t r s y ESIST EN 16935:2017

Display of information - Examples . 9 A.1 General . 9 A.2 Display examples . 9 Bibliography . 13
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