Instead of discarding stock, companies are encouraged to manage their stock more effectively, handle returns, and explore alternatives such as resale, remanufacturing, donations, or reuse.
The ban on destruction of unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear and the derogations will apply to large companies from 19 July 2026. Medium-sized companies are expected to follow in 2030. The rules on disclosure under the ESPR already apply to large companies and will also apply to medium-sized companies in 2030.
Because often it’s a one time order and it’s hard to predict how well it will sell. The clothing is produced before the season to be sold during that season. Fast fashion companies only need like two weeks between ordering and it available in store, but this is not how the premium (‘traditional’) industry works. They sell of as much as they can at maximum price and destroy what’s leftover at the end of the season. Not saying this makes sense, but it does get you the most profit in the long term.