France takes aim at ultra-fast fashion with new levy targeting Asian e-commerce platforms
France will from Tuesday impose a fee on ultra-fast fashion items that will eventually reach almost €20 (US$2.32) per garment, as the government targets major Asian e-commerce platforms including Shein. The levy follows legislation passed by the French parliament in June to regulate “ultra-fast fashion” companies, known for selling large volumes of lower-quality clothing at rock-bottom prices. It…
France has introduced a new levy on ultra-fast fashion items, targeting major Asian e-commerce platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress. The levy, which will eventually reach nearly €20 (US$23.20) per garment, is part of legislation passed in June to regulate companies known for selling lower-quality clothing at low prices in large volumes.
The fee will vary based on a product's score in two categories: the volume of clothing placed on the market and the cost of repairing garments compared to their purchase price. In 2026, companies will face fines ranging from a 50 cent levy on underwear to €12 for a jacket. A new data collection tool is being developed to avoid relying solely on companies' own declarations.
Shein, valued at US$26.3 billion in its Hong Kong IPO, and Temu and AliExpress did not comment on the measure. The French government claims Shein, Temu and AliExpress are driving the surge in ultra-fast fashion, a claim the European Commission has also raised concerns about in terms of EU law compliance. China has threatened retaliation over the French law, calling it "discriminatory" and against trade principles.
Imports of small parcels from China into the EU have dropped by around 30 to 40 percent since a separate EU levy on such shipments came into force in July.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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