From 2 August 2026, retailers, brands and advertisers operating in the EU may need to clearly disclose certain AI-generated or AI-manipulated images, audio and video used in advertising.
That matters for much more than social media or video campaigns.
It is also highly relevant for:
Leaflets. Catalogues. POS materials. Direct mail. Retail media. E-commerce visuals. Digital campaigns.
Especially where AI is used to create or alter people, products, places or situations that could be perceived as real.
The European Commission has published guidance and optional EU icons to help identify content that has been generated or manipulated by AI. The aim is simple: people should be able to recognise when what they are seeing, hearing or watching has been artificially created or altered.
For advertisers, this is not only a compliance issue.
It is a trust issue.
As AI becomes part of creative production, campaign teams will need clearer internal processes:
Was AI used?
Was the image fully generated or partially modified?
Could the content appear authentic to consumers?
Does it need a label?
Where should that label appear?
Will it remain visible across print and digital formats?
Who is responsible for checking before publication?
The commercial risk is also significant. German industry guidance from ZAW highlights that missing or insufficient labelling may lead not only to regulatory fines, but also to cease-and-desist warnings and injunction claims from competitors or qualified associations under German competition law.
For the leaflet, catalogue and door drop industry, the message is clear.
AI can absolutely support creativity, production speed and campaign efficiency.
But transparency must be built into the workflow from the start — not added as an afterthought before print or publication.
Because responsible communication is not only about what we show consumers.
It is also about being honest about how that content was created.