From 19 July, large companies across the EU are prohibited from destroying unsold clothes, clothing accessories and footwear. Medium-sized companies will be subject to the same rules from 2030. The measure, introduced under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), aims to prevent the waste of valuable products and the resources used to make them.

Under the new rules, businesses must prioritise keeping products in use by selling them (including through discounts or alternative markets), donating them to charities or social enterprises, or preparing them for reuse (repairing, refurbishing or remanufacturing). Destruction will be allowed only under specified circumstances and must follow the waste treatment hierarchy, giving priority to recycling.

Companies may only destroy unsold clothes and shoes in limited cases, such as when items are unsafe or damaged, counterfeit or infringing intellectual property rights, or are rejected by charities or donation schemes. Businesses relying on these exemptions must provide proof and publish annual reports on what they have discarded.

According to the European Environment Agency, an estimated 4-9% of all textile products put on the market in Europe are destroyed before use, amounting to between 264,000 and 594,000 tonnes of textiles destroyed each year. National authorities will enforce compliance and can impose fines for violations. Small and micro-businesses are exempt from these requirements.