The French Senate overwhelmingly supported a new bill designed to regulate the low-cost clothing giant on Tuesday, targeting primarily Chinese e-commerce platforms.
The text aims to address the environmental and economic consequences of fast fashion, a model that thrives at mass production and low prices.
The law introduces an ecoscore system that assesses the environmental impact of products sold by first fashion companies, including emissions, resource use and recyclability.
Brands with the lowest scores could increase to 10 euros between 2025 and 2030 and be taxed up to 5 euros per item. However, taxes cannot exceed 50% of the item’s retail price.
It also includes the ban on advertising for ultrafast fashion brands for influencers who promote them online.
The bill aims to be super-fast fashion platforms like Shein and Temu, but major European players, especially Zara, H&M and Kiabi, spare from the most severe penalties.
Environmental groups have criticised the revised bill for viewing them as a weakened ambition.
“It’s an opportunity that I missed,” said Pierre Kodamine, campaign manager for Friends on Earth France.
“There are texts that are trying to target two brands, and therefore exclude those that represent at least 90% of the production and clothing sold in France. That’s an opportunity we missed. We can have real environmental ambitions. Ultimately, we can see that the economic protection that was the main driving force behind this bill.
However, some French lawmakers argue that the bill must first protect European industry. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a choice,” said conservative Senator Sylvie Valente Le Hill.
“Today, we must protect what remains in the European industry. We must distinguish between the production that was made in China by these giants. We are talking about a scale 100 times larger than us.
Shein spokesman Quentin Raffatt responded to the bill earlier this week, warning that the text could “influence the purchasing power” of French consumers.
Between 2010 and 2023, the value of fast fashion products advertised in France increased from 2.3 billion euros to 3.2 billion euros.
In France, 35 clothing items are discarded every second, according to the national environmental agency Ademe.
The Senate supported 337 votes and passed the bill against only one person. The text will move to a joint committee of senators and agents in September.
The European Commission also needs to notify you to ensure that the bill complies with EU regulations.
If passed, they will mark one of Europe’s most aggressive legislative efforts to deal with the sacrifice of fast fashion, but its ultimate impact remains to be seen.
