欧盟2024年颁布新规，禁止服装品牌销毁未售库存[1]。根据这一规定，大型零售商需立即执行该禁令，而中型零售商则从2030年起开始遵守[1]。新规要求品牌通过转售和捐赠等方式处理剩余商品，并在网站上披露库存量[1]。
这项禁令的出台基于服装行业的严重浪费现象。欧盟估计，每年有4%-9%的新衣服被销毁[1]。业界快速推新的模式加剧了这一问题——2022年H&M发布4400款新款，Zara发布6850款新款，而Shein在高峰期每天添加10000款新设计[1]。奢侈品牌销毁尤为严重，Burberry五年内销毁了价值9000万英镑（约1.7亿澳元）的产品[1]。相比之下，Uniqlo通过抵制快速风格更换的做法取得显著成效，七年内利润增长70%，期间每年仅推出两个系列[1]。
在澳大利亚的情况下，2024年该国进口了15.5亿件服装[1]，其中估计每年有15500-33000吨（62-132百万件）遭销毁[1]。
The European Union has introduced new regulations prohibiting fashion brands from destroying unsold inventory, effective in 2024 [1]. Large retailers must comply immediately, while medium-sized retailers have until 2030 to adhere to the rules [1]. Under the new framework, brands are required to manage excess stock through alternative methods such as resale and donation, and must publicly disclose inventory quantities on their websites [1].
The scale of clothing destruction has been substantial across the industry. The EU estimates that between 4% and 9% of newly produced clothing is destroyed [1]. Major fashion companies have engaged in significant product destruction; for instance, Burberry disposed of products valued at 90 million pounds—approximately 170 million Australian dollars—over a five-year period [1]. Fast-fashion retailers have accelerated this trend through rapid design cycles, with Shein adding 10,000 new designs daily at its peak, H&M releasing 4,400 new styles in 2022, and Zara launching 6,850 new designs the same year [1].
Australia faces comparable challenges, with an estimated 62 million to 132 million garments destroyed annually, equivalent to 15,500 to 33,000 tonnes of clothing waste [1]. This occurs despite Australia importing 1.55 billion clothing items in 2024 [1]. However, some retailers have demonstrated that reducing rapid design turnover can yield financial benefits; Uniqlo increased profits by 70% over seven years by rejecting fast-fashion practices and releasing only two collections annually [1].
