ASC launches redesigned consumer label, as new EU labelling law comes into force

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is rolling out a redesigned on-pack label, following changes to EU rules over packaging and environmental claims coming into force this year.

Announcing the new ecolabel this week, the certification organisation said the new design is based on an extensive research and testing process focused on improving consumer understanding of its certification scheme.

The non-profit said the new label has already been trademarked in the European Union and a further 20 countries, and has been tested quantitatively in five global markets chosen to reflect differing levels of consumer awareness around sustainability. According to ASC, the revised design performed at least as well as the existing label and outperformed it on some measures linked to brand recognition.

ASC said one of the main objectives was to preserve the value of the brand it had built over the past 15 years while making the label easier to identify on packaging. It said testing indicated the simplified design was less cluttered, improved recall and in some cases lifted purchase intent compared with the previous version.

The organisation has brought forward the launch to coincide with changes to its packaging claims and with new European Union rules on environmental marketing.

The first phase of the transition will focus on products sold in the EU, where the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive is due to start applying from September 2026. The legislation is intended to tackle the problem of "greenwashing" by companies, introducing tighter requirements on environmental claims and sustainability labels in an effort to curb misleading green marketing.

The new EU law will come into effect on 27 March 2026, followed by a 6-month implementation period, meaning that all changes to the claims must be made by 27 September 2026.

ASC said this timetable should help licence holders avoid having to make several packaging changes within a short period, saying it expects almost all products worldwide to have moved to the new label by the end of 2027, aside from some remaining stock. Companies which sell consumer-facing products in the EU will be prioritised first, followed by those supplying markets outside the bloc.

Alongside the visual update, ASC is also introducing a series of practical changes for packaging users, including allowing the label to be used at smaller sizes, expanding the use of a generic version of the mark and offering greater colour flexibility to fit different brand designs.

Willem de Bruijn, ASC’s chief commercial officer, said: “This new label represents far more than a visual refresh - it is a strategic evolution in how we communicate the value of the ASC programme, making it even easier for consumers to recognise and understand what the ASC label stands for.”

“Grounded in extensive consumer research, our updated label strengthens key brand associations and purchase intent. At the same time, it gives our partners greater flexibility on pack and supports alignment with evolving regulatory requirements. By introducing it alongside the transition to the ASC Farm Standard, we are equipping our partners with a stronger, more effective way to demonstrate their commitment to transparency and credible sustainability,” he added.