In June of this year, the French Senate almost unanimously backed a bill aimed at regulating the ultra-fast fashion industry. The bill aims to tackle the environmental and economic consequences of ultra-fast fashion and, if implemented, would ban advertising of ultra-fast fashion and impose sanctions on influencers who promote such products.

The bill proposes the introduction of an eco-score system that will evaluate the environmental impact of products sold by fast-fashion companies, including emissions, resource use, and recyclability. Companies receiving the lowest scores face taxes of up to €5 per product in 2025, rising to €10 by 2030, with a cap of 50% of the product’s original price.

The bill will also require companies to inform their customers about the environmental impact of their purchase, and in addition will introduce a special tax on packages imported from outside the EU as well as banning free returns.

The version of the bill passed by the Senate distinguishes between “ultra” fast and “classic” fast fashion. This distinction has drawn criticism from some environmental groups as, although it targets ultra-fast fashion platforms, such as Shein, it will impose less onerous restrictions on many major European fast-fashion brands, such as Zara and H&M. However, the chair of the Senate Committee on regional planning and sustainable development, Jean-François Longeot, commented, “[t]he clarifications make it possible to target players who ignore environmental, social, and economic realities, notably Shein and Temu, without penalising the European ready-to-wear sector.”

The legislation must still be approved by a joint committee of senators and MPs later this year before it is implemented into law. However, this bill is the latest example of an increasing global interest in holding the fashion and textile industry accountable for its environmental impact. For example, in April of this year, members of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), a worldwide network of more than 70 consumer protection authorities, issued a joint open letter to the fashion retail sector on the use of environmental claims, reminding the industry of its collective responsibility for an estimated 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 20% of global wastewater.¹ The letter was co-signed by regulators in 20 countries, including the French DGCCRF.

Footnotes

[1] ICPEN members write open letter to the fashion and textiles sector