France's Senate has approved a revised bill aimed at regulating ultra-fast fashion companies like Shein and Temu, which produce high volumes of low-cost clothing. The legislation, passed almost unanimously, seeks to reduce the textile industry's environmental impact by introducing penalties for companies that don't meet environmental criteria. These penalties could reach €10 per item by 2030, or up to 50% of the product's price excluding tax. The bill also proposes a ban on advertising by ultra-fast fashion platforms.
The revised bill explicitly distinguishes between "ultra" fast fashion, targeting platforms like Shein and Temu, and "classic" fast fashion, with less stringent restrictions on European players like Zara and Kiabi. This distinction has drawn criticism from environmental groups who argue it protects European companies and weakens the bill's overall environmental ambition. However, proponents like Jean-Francois Longeot, chair of the Senate's Committee on Regional Planning and Sustainable Development, assert that these clarifications prevent penalizing the European ready-to-wear sector while targeting those ignoring environmental realities.
Several key provisions, including the proposed advertising ban and a potential tax on small parcels shipped from outside the EU (ranging from €2 to €4 per package), may require approval from the European Commission. The French government will notify the Commission, a process that could take up to three months before a joint committee from the Senate and lower house resolves any differences. Critics, including Shein's spokesperson in France, Quentin Ruffat, argue that the law will penalize cost-conscious consumers and drastically reduce their purchasing power. French senator Sylvie Valente Le underlines the shift in the goal of the legislation to target those causing environmental harm and support local economic protection.
