New French Fast Fashion Laws: Eco-Labels, Ad Bans and Surcharges Explained

France has taken concrete legal steps to regulate the fast fashion industry, making it the first European country to directly target the sector’s environmental and social impact. The process began with the Anti-Waste and Circular Economy Law (AGEC) of 2020, which came into force in recent years. This law bans the destruction of unsold clothing and requires brands to donate, reuse, or recycle excess stock. Since January 2023, it has also made detailed eco-labeling mandatory, including disclosure of recycled content, recyclability, hazardous substances, synthetic fibre use, and full traceability of where garments are woven, dyed, and sewn.

In March 2024, France’s lower house unanimously approved a bill aimed specifically at fast fashion, with measures that prohibit advertising—including influencer promotions—for companies deemed ultra-fast fashion. The bill also introduced environmental surcharges on garments, starting modestly but designed to increase over time, with penalties of up to €10 per item or 50 percent of its pre-tax price by 2030. The emphasis is on holding low-cost, high-volume brands accountable while promoting repair and reuse among consumers.

By June 2025, the French Senate had passed a revised version of the bill. This version draws a distinction between ultra-fast fashion players such as Shein and Temu and European fast-fashion retailers like Zara and Kiabi. While penalties remain, they are calibrated differently depending on the scale and environmental impact of the company. Alongside this, France is also rolling out its Ecobalyse eco-score system, which will assign a standardized environmental rating to clothing based on lifecycle impacts such as carbon footprint, recyclability, and microfibre shedding.

Together, these measures position French Fast Fashion Laws at the forefront of regulating fast fashion, setting binding legal standards for transparency, accountability, and sustainability in the apparel industry.