Since July, new eco-design requirements for sustainable products have come into effect in the European Union. One of the most notable innovations concerns unsold clothing, footwear, and accessories: large companies are now prohibited from simply destroying such goods.
As Diena reports, the new requirements apply to companies with a turnover of more than 50 million euros and a workforce of over 250 people.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of tons of completely new clothing are destroyed in the European Union. The reasons vary: various damages, returns of goods ordered online, as well as old stock that could not be sold.
Now companies will have to find alternative uses for such items. They can be sold at discounts, donated to charitable organizations, or sold in alternative markets.
Destruction of unsold clothing is only allowed in certain cases — for example, if the product is unsafe, counterfeit, or if it has been rejected by charitable organizations.
Additionally, companies will be required to publish reports on such goods.
First discounts, then charity
Maxima Latvija notes that regarding clothing, footwear, and accessories, the company adheres to the same principle as when trading in food products: the goal is to sell all the products that have been put up for sale.
If the entire volume cannot be sold, price reduction promotions are organized. If products still remain after that, they are donated to charitable organizations.
A similar approach is used by Lidl Latvija. The company notes that it has repeatedly donated unsold textile products to various non-governmental organizations.
Lidl is part of the Schwarz Group, one of whose enterprises is engaged in organizing the reuse of unsold goods, including textiles and other non-food products, instead of destroying them.
But the problem starts at the factory
Bank of Latvia economist Agnese Puke believes that mere bans on the destruction of unsold items are not enough.
"The only real direction for solving the problems is to reduce production volumes themselves. And regulation could influence that," the economist notes.
For Latvia, this issue is also relevant: the consumption of textile products in the country remains quite high.
According to the Central Statistical Bureau, last year Latvia imported 63,000 tons of textile products, while exports amounted to 39,000 tons.
At the same time, clothing, footwear, home textiles, and other similar products account for 3% to 5% of the total volume of waste sent to landfills each year.
The new European rules are expected to change the usual scheme where it was easier to destroy unsold goods. Now large retailers will have to find new owners for the items — through discounts, other markets, or charity. However, as experts note, the problem of textile waste can only be fully resolved if changes affect not only disposal but also production volumes themselves.
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