France’s Senate has approved a new anti-fast fashion bill aimed at reducing the environmental impact of ultra-fast fashion, with Chinese e-commerce giants Shein, Temu and AliExpress among the main companies expected to be affected.
The legislation, passed on 29 June, introduces new charges on mass-produced clothing while seeking to ban advertising by ultra-fast fashion brands. However, the revised bill has drawn criticism after several European and French fashion retailers were excluded from the measures, while its proposed advertising ban is now facing legal scrutiny from the European Union.
Under the bill, companies producing large volumes of textiles will be charged a fee for each item sold. The levy will gradually increase over the coming years and could reach €20 (around RM100) per item by 2030, although it cannot exceed half of a product’s pre-tax price. Part of the revenue will be channelled into textile recycling and reuse programmes to support France’s environmental goals.
The legislation also proposes a ban on all forms of advertising for ultra-fast fashion brands, including promotions by social media influencers. French Trade Minister Serge Papin said the law specifically targets companies that have fuelled the rapid rise of ultra-fast fashion, naming Shein, Temu and AliExpress as key examples.
Despite its environmental objectives, the bill no longer applies to several major European retailers, including Zara, H&M and Kiabi, prompting criticism from opposition politicians and environmental campaigners. Green Party lawmaker Charles Fournier said the original proposal had been significantly watered down, while advocacy group Stop Fast Fashion described the revised version as substantially weaker than initially planned.
Anne-Cécile Violland, the lawmaker who introduced the legislation, defended the revised bill, saying it represents an important first step towards tackling the business model of ultra-fast fashion companies, particularly Shein.
The proposed advertising ban may also face further obstacles before it can take effect. The European Commission is currently assessing whether the measure complies with EU law. Should it be ruled incompatible with European regulations, France may be unable to enforce one of the bill’s toughest provisions, raising questions over its overall effectiveness once implemented.
