France fast-fashion law draws China warning

China urged France to halt its fast-fashion law and warned of countermeasures, adding to opposition to a measure targeting high-volume, low-cost clothing sellers.

France started charging ultra-fast fashion companies a per-item levy on September 1. The measure targets sellers including Shein, Temu and AliExpress.

The law followed legislation passed by the French parliament in June to regulate ultra-fast fashion. The category is assessed using two criteria: the volume of clothing placed on the market and the cost of repairing garments compared with their purchase price.

In 2026, charges include examples such as 50 cents for qualifying underwear, €2 for T-shirts, €9 for jeans and €12 for jackets. The levy could reach up to €19.50 per item by 2030, capped at 50% of the product's pre-tax price.

Mathieu Lefevre, France's minister for ecological transition, said the environmental and economic effects of ultra-fast fashion were “well known and documented”. His office said a tool is being developed to collect data independently rather than relying only on company declarations.

The measure has been criticised over which retailers it will cover. Lefevre's office said in July that it would not apply to retailers such as H&M or Zara, prompting some critics to say it appeared to spare European and French companies.

The European Commission had raised questions about whether the legislation complied with EU law, but Lefevre's office said those concerns had been dispelled and that the measure was not expected to be blocked.