France Considers Penalties on Fast Fashion Companies to Offset Their Environmental Impact

France is weighing whether to implement penalty fees that fast fashion companies would have to pay per item sold as a way to offset the environmental impact of the industry.

Members of parliament (MPs) in France proposed a bill that would charge up to 50% of the selling price of fast fashion items to brands like Shein, which was named in the bill, and Temu. The bill noted that Shein alone has more than 470,000 products available, with more than 7,200 new items daily, Reuters reported.

“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.

As of 2019, 43% of surveyed shoppers in France said they typically purchased their clothing from fast fashion retailers, according to Statista. The second-highest responses were online second-hand shops and brick-and-mortar thrift stores, each at 8%.

As a response, and in an effort toward a more circular economy as outlined in the AGEC law passed in 2020, lawmakers in France have proposed charging fast fashion companies up to 10 euros (about $10.87) per fast fashion item sold or up to 50% of the selling price, with penalties going into effect by 2030.

Last year, France began offering financial incentive for citizens to repair their own clothing. The initiative allowed citizens to claim between 6 and 25 euros (about $6.52 to $27.17) on the cost of repairs completed by certified repair professionals, The Guardian reported.

The former measure, which kicked off in October 2023, coupled with the consideration of new penalties for fast fashion retailers is meant to curb the amount of clothing waste in the country. As reported by The Guardian, people throw out about 700,000 metric tons of clothing in France each year, and about 66% of that waste is sent to landfills.

The fast fashion penalty fees will be discussed by a parliamentary committee, then presented to parliament in late March, Reuters reported.

According to Christophe Béchu, Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion of France, there will be additional proposals to curb the negative environmental impacts of the fashion industry, including a potential ban on ultra-fast fashion advertising and financial incentives to lower the cost of sustainable clothing while increasing the cost of ultra-fast fashion items.