Fuel pumps in Sweden will now have colour coded labels to show buyers the percentage of renewables and fossil raw materials, along with the origin of the fuel. This information will also have to be displayed at charging points for electric vehicles.
It is thought that this is the first initiative of its kind in the world, after nearly a decade long push in the Scandinavian country.
Marie Pellas, the chair of the Swedish Association of Green Motorists said: "we have been campaigning for eco-labels on fuel dispensers for almost 10 years. . . We are very happy that they finally are here."
The labels will be monitored by the Swedish energy agency, who will also observe any impact the changes may have.
The aim of the labels is to call attention to drivers on the differences in sustainability for fossil fuels, biofuels and electricity. This will then allow fuel producers and retailers to advertise themselves more fairly on a basis of sustainability.
The Swedish Association of Green Motorists said that the system should be easily implemented in other EU Member States and had been set up in the hope other countries would "follow the example of Sweden".
A professor of environmental change and public health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Andy Haines, has argued for similar requirements in the UK such as warning labels at points of sale of fossil fuels including petrol stations, energy bills and plane tickets. Andy Haines believes that the implementation of fossil fuel labelling could have a significant impact on the awareness of climate change.
