France slashes ultra‑fast fashion with new fees, hits Shein, Temu

Paris has introduced tiered levies on ultra‑fast fashion, sparking a fresh wave of criticism from global supply‑chain actors.

The new tax, which will see a price increase of up to €19.50 per garment by 2030, targets e‑commerce giants she established Shein, Temu and Alibaba‑owned AliExpress. In 2026 it will cost €0.50 for underwear, €2 for T‑shirts, €9 for jeans and €12 for jackets. The cap stays at half the product’s pre‑tax price.

Officials in Paris justifying the measure see the “harmful effects of ultra‑fast fashion” as a well‑known threat to the environment and to local economies. Critics argue that the tax discriminates against overseas retailers at the expense of European brands such as H&M and Zara.

China’s Commerce Ministry has called the law a trade barrier and potentially violating World Trade Organization rules. France’s minister Mathieu Lefevre highlights the urgent need to protect the environment while noting that the extra cost will hit consumers amid a cost‑of‑living crisis.

Beyond the headlines, the levy also stands as a reality check for indigenous communities whose land and water resources are increasingly damaged by textile manufacturing and fast fashion’s “wear‑and‑tear” business model. Their traditional knowledge around sustainable weaving and regeneration of local ecosystems has only just begun to inform more responsible production practices.

Shein, once estimated at nearly $100bn, has just registered a public‑trade value of $26.2bn after a debut in Hong Kong. The company claims that the new legislation will reduce purchasing power of French consumers, with a broader debate on the ethics of its supply chain slowly emerging.

Temu, a Chinese‑owned marketplace, claims it does not manufacture clothes itself and thus opposes the classification of its platform as a fast‑fashion company. They argue that the French law incorrectly lumps all marketplace businesses together.