New EU Rules Ban Destruction of Unsold Clothes and Shoes

Purpose & Policy Background

The ESPR aims to make products more sustainable while supporting the European Green Deal and the EU’s circular economy goals. The European Commission has adopted a significant update to the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) that will fundamentally change how unsold consumer goods are handled across the EU.

From 19 July 2026, large companies will be prohibited from destroying unsold apparel, accessories and footwear; a practice that currently contributes millions of tons of waste and CO₂ emissions each year.

Every year in Europe, an estimated 4–9% of unsold textiles are destroyed before they are ever worn, generating approximately 5.6 million tonnes of CO₂ which is roughly the same as Sweden’s annual emissions.

These new rules aim to cut waste, reduce environmental harm and create a level playing field for businesses already investing in more sustainable models.

In the UK, discussions at our recent Circular Economy Exchange highlighted the scale of surplus already flowing through redistribution networks. As one session noted, surplus redistribution is “a proven but constrained system.”

Organisations such as Goods for Good have redirected more than £92 million worth of surplus stock away from landfill and into communities, supporting over 85 UK charities and international aid efforts.

The infrastructure clearly exists. But it remains fragmented, capacity-limited, and largely driven by voluntary action.

The new EU rules shift surplus management from goodwill to obligation, turning what has been a reactive system into a regulated expectation.

Under the updated regulation, companies must:

• Disclose volumes of unsold products discarded as waste using a standardised reporting format from February 2027, and
• Comply with a ban on destruction unless narrowly justified (e.g., safety or irreparable damage), overseen by national authorities.

The phased timeline gives businesses time to adapt. Large companies will need to comply with the destruction ban from mid-2026, while medium-sized companies are expected to follow by 2030, aligning with broader disclosure obligations.

Rather than incinerating or discarding excess stock, the EU encourages brands to explore alternatives such as resale, reuse, remanufacturing or donation, reinforcing the shift toward more circular business practices.

What this means beyond compliance

This is not just a waste issue. It represents a shift in how products are expected to live beyond their first sale.

Avoiding destruction means being able to identify, track, and redirect stock efficiently across resale, repair, donation, or secondary markets. That requires clear, accessible product-level data.

This is where Digital Product Passports become strategically relevant. DPPs are not simply regulatory paperwork; they enable circular movement. When product information is structured and shareable, items can be authenticated, resold, repaired, or responsibly recovered.

Buyerdock is built around that principle. By putting the right QR foundation in place and working with our growing specialist partners across verification and traceability, brands can create the infrastructure needed to meet regulation while unlocking commercial opportunity.

Preventing destruction is only the starting point. The real advantage comes from building systems that allow products to move intelligently through reuse and resale and with the aim of turning compliance into long-term value.