France fines ultra-fast fashion retailers up to €20 per garment starting Tuesday

France will roll out fines on ultra-fast fashion items starting Tuesday, with penalties climbing to nearly €20 (US$2.32) per garment as the government moves to curb the surge of Asian e-commerce platforms such as Shein.

The levy stems from legislation passed by the French parliament in June aimed at regulating "ultra-fast fashion" companies that flood the market with large volumes of lower-quality clothing at rock-bottom prices. The measure is part of a broader effort to rein in Asian e-commerce giants including Shein, Temu and AliExpress, which have exploded in popularity across France in recent years.

How the penalty system works

The law defines ultra-fast fashion using two criteria: the volume of clothing a company places on the market and the cost of repairing garments relative to their purchase price. Companies will pay per-item fees on a sliding scale based on how each product scores against both standards.

By 2026, fines will reach 50 cents for underwear falling into the ultra-fast fashion category, rising to €2 for T-shirts, €9 for jeans and €12 for a jacket.

"The harmful effects of ultra-fast fashion on our environment and our economy are well known and documented," said Mathieu Lefevre, the minister for ecological transition, on Friday as details of the measure were published.

The tiered penalty structure appears designed to hit fast-fashion business models hardest, where high turnover and low repair-to-purchase-price ratios trigger the steepest charges under both legislative criteria.

Source: South China Morning Post