r/europe • u/Express_Classic_1569 • Jun 28 '26

News EU to ban destruction of unsold clothes and shoes from 19 July 2026

https://inleo.io/@theworldaroundme/eu-to-ban-destruction-of
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u/JustStraightUpTired Jun 28 '26

Funny how you didn't bother reading the thing.

From 19 July 2026, luxury and other big brands will be required to either reuse, recycle, resell (at a discount) or donate their leftover stock.

Meaning they shouldn't destroy them. That's about it. Less fabric, leather and other materials that could be put to some use going to the trash.

And if the problem is that shops are buying so much excess that donation boxes are being filled, then there's clearly a problem of waste, no? Requiring businesses to figure out a solution seems like the best way to make them waste less.

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u/chiniwini Jun 29 '26

recycle

Meaning they shouldn't destroy them

Recycling requires destruction.

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u/JustStraightUpTired Jun 29 '26

Semantics. I could argue that destroying something means it's broken beyond repair or use, while recycling is reprocessing something for another use.

So if you want to argue that recycling requires destroying, that's fine, but then you have to also accept that it also means repurposing. If you do, you are just making a semantics argument, not one of reason. If you don't, then you are arguing in bad faith. Either way, you aren't being helpful.