A year ago, when the Apple Watch Series 10 was launched, Apple touted it as a resounding success, making it the brand’s first carbon-neutral product. After achieving a nearly 80 percent reduction in emissions, the company offset the remaining amount through high-quality carbon offset projects. The same policy was later implemented for the new Mac mini. Here are the details.

Apple No Longer Uses “Carbon Neutral”

This marketing change stems not from a step back in Apple’s environmental policy, but from a stricter legal framework from the European Union. Apple remains committed to its “Apple 2030” overall carbon neutrality goal, but a new EU rule prohibits the company from using the term “carbon neutral” on its products.

An EU law coming into effect in September 2026 restricts companies from using environmental claims like “carbon neutral” in product marketing. This ban applies even if the products are truly completely carbon neutral.

EU regulators have made a radical decision to prevent different companies from interpreting the concept of “carbon neutrality” in different ways. To avoid potential confusion and “greenwashing” in company claims, they have opted to ban the use of the term entirely in marketing.

In preparation for this legal obligation, Apple has chosen to change its environmental marketing strategy globally. As a result, individual products like the Apple Watch and Mac are no longer advertised as “carbon neutral.” This change in approach was first outlined in a Fast Company profile published in August.

While Apple may no longer be outspoken about this claim, its emissions reduction efforts continue unabated. For example, the newly released Apple Watch Series 11 has fewer net emissions than its predecessor, the Series 10.

The company maintains that it is still firmly committed to its 2030 plan to achieve carbon neutrality across its entire supply chain and products, and that it is on track. However, even when it achieves this goal, it will not be able to advertise this status with a “carbon neutral” label in the EU market.

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