A first of its kind bill has been approved in France, on 14 March 2024, which aims to reduce fast fashion practices. France’s lower parliament decided to unanimously approve a bill calling for penalties on fast fashion (widely considered low-quality apparel) products from online retail giants like Shein (China), Temu (China) and H&M (Spain). France is aiming to offset their impact on the environment with the carbon emissions caused by clothing production, shipping and textile waste.
France’s environmental minister Christophe Bechu stated that “A big step has been taken to reduce the textile sector’s environmental footprint.”
The bill states that textile climate offenders will have to face an annual ascending penalty, leading to up to 30 euros per garment. It also advocates for a ban on advertising liberties due to an excessively high marketing spend from these corporations which dominates web searches across the board. In addition, the bill details that it will be mandatory to have these items’ environmental impact level placed next to the price in the hope of forcing consumers to assess the products’ carbon footprint. The bill has been formed in conjunction with France’s AGEC law to encourage a circular economy and mitigate waste.
Rio Lecatompessy, Unsplash
France’s current corporate sustainability due diligence directive offers to reimburse shoppers up to 25 euros for each garment they repair – according to their repair scheme.
“This evolution of the apparel sector towards ephemeral fashion, combining increased volumes and low prices, is influencing consumer buying habits by creating buying impulses and a constant need for renewal, which is not without environmental, social and economic consequences” the bill said.
This is a developing story.
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