Why eco-labelling is so difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic In partnership with We’ve all, at some point, bought an eco-labelled product. The eco-labels we come to trust are often ones backed by credible audits that involve in-person inspections of production facilities to check that environmental and ethical claims are real. The COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to contain it have meant that audits have had to change. But changes made to audits that aim to retain credibility — such as making them virtual — have consequences for fairness. Businesses in lower income countries already struggle to access the benefits of eco-labels. Virtual audits stand to make the situation worse.