France wants to ban retailers from throwing away unsold clothes

"The scandalous waste of products..."

The French government is looking to ban retailers from throwing away unsold consumer products. The move, which would include electronics, cosmetics, and clothes, would be introduced to reduce the amount of waste being produced by the country and in turn better protect the environment. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe introduced the bill earlier this month. He stated that every year, 650 million euros worth of new consumer products are either thrown away or destroyed in the country. "We can avoid the scandalous waste of products and objects that are in perfectly good condition," he said. If the circular economy legislation is passed, retailers would need to recycle the unsold goods or donate them to charity. France already has legislation that makes throwing away unsold food items illegal. Instead, supermarkets must donate the food to charity. The bill is expected to be put before the government next month. If passed, it should be enforced in France over the next four years.