EU adopts new provisions under ESPR to ban destruction of unsold stock

The European Commission has adopted new measures under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) to prevent the destruction of unsold apparel, clothing, accessories and footwear.

An estimated 4–9 per cent of unsold textiles are destroyed before ever being worn each year in Europe. This waste generates around 5.6 million tons of CO2 emissions, almost equal to Sweden’s total net emissions in 2021. To reduce this practice, the ESPR requires companies to disclose information on unsold consumer products they discard as waste and introduces a ban on the destruction of unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear.

The Delegated and Implementing Acts adopted will support businesses in complying with these requirements by clarifying derogations and facilitating disclosure, the European Commission said in a release.

The Delegated Act outlines specific and justified circumstances under which destruction will be permitted, such as safety risks or product damage, with national authorities overseeing compliance. The Implementing Act introduces a standardised format for businesses to disclose the volumes of unsold consumer goods they discard. These disclosure rules will apply from February 01, 2027, giving companies time to adapt.

Companies are encouraged to manage stock more effectively, improve returns handling, and explore alternatives such as resale, remanufacturing, donations or reuse instead of discarding products.

The ban on destroying unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear, along with the derogations, will apply to large companies from July 19, 2026. Medium-sized companies are expected to follow in 2030. Disclosure requirements already apply to large companies and will extend to medium-sized firms in 2030.

“The textile sector is leading the way in the transition to sustainability, but there are still challenges. The numbers on waste show the need to act. With these new measures, the textile sector will be empowered to move towards sustainable and circular practices, boosting competitiveness and reducing dependencies,” said Jessika Roswall, commissioner for environment, water resilience and a competitive circular economy.

The destruction of unsold goods remains a wasteful practice. In France alone, around €630 million worth of unsold products are destroyed each year, while online shopping adds to the issue, Germany discards nearly 20 million returned items annually. The ESPR is central to this effort, aiming to make products in the EU market more durable, reusable and recyclable while boosting efficiency and circularity.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)