In this article we want to bring your attention on an important step that French Government has adopted in order to increase the traceability of products, allowing consumers to have easy access to the history of the product they are going to buy.
Decree 2022-748, published on April 29, 2022 relates to the environmental labeling of waste-generating products.
It concerns all producers, importers and dealers, as well as all other marketers of waste-generating products intended for consumers. These include those using an online distribution channel (website, platform, etc.).
The decree came into effect on May 1, 2022. Environmental labeling requirements will come into force progressively, mostly depending on the size of a company, specifically:
The decree concerns the obligation to provide information on the environmental qualities and characteristics of products and packaging (according to categories) on:
This information must be available by electronic means and/or by display, labeling or any other clear and
comprehensible means. The format must be easily reusable and workable by an automated processing system in aggregate form.
It’s commendable that the French government has committed to a strong legal strategy enforcing transparency about environmental impacts of clothing sold in France. Rather confusingly for the industry though, it has done so ahead of planned wider EU laws that will make climate-impact labels mandatory across the entire bloc. So, the first thing brands must do is commit to a digital solution for labelling that will give them supply chain visibility, and the scope to adapt their data management to a fast-evolving legal framework.
Then of course, there must be full understanding of the incoming compliance requirements. The French Decree 2022- 748 will eventually apply to all fashion brands that sell garments, footwear, and home textiles in the French market.
Product information must be made available to consumers at the point of sale – so either online or in a shop – and available after sales. In practical terms, this means a dedicated web page per product must be built to inform consumers about the specifications and environmental characteristics of the product.
The French Decree seemingly came from nowhere, taking fashion brands very much by surprise. Conversely, the EU legal changes set out in the Green Deal have been on the horizon for years, giving lobbying groups, businesses and industry stakeholders ample time to debate key issues, and research the benefits of DPPs.
Despite there is still a work of alignment to be done between French regulation and EU DPP we, at Edmond, are in the position to help companies with our software solutions!
