Compliance

Destroying unsold clothing is no longer a legal option.

The EU ban took effect on 19 July 2026. It comes with a documentation duty, and the documentation is the part most brands are not ready for.

Who it applies to, and when.

For large companies it applies now. From 2030 it applies to medium-sized companies, which is most of the brands we work with. Records must be kept for five years and produced on request.

SOURCE

Source: Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, Article 25 and Annex VII. Company size follows the EU definition of small and medium-sized enterprises.

In force

19 Jul 2026

Large companiesnow

Medium-sized companies2030

Retention5 years

The record

Written as a by-product of the decision, not as a separate reporting exercise.

Four things an auditor will ask for.

What was consideredAll six exits, with the figure each one was expected to return at the time of the decision.

What was chosenThe exit taken, who approved it, and on what date.

What it returnedThe accepted amount, the buyer group, and the units that actually moved.

What was leftUnits still held afterwards, and where they went next.

One button gives you the file. It is the same record you would otherwise have had to assemble by hand from three systems and an email thread.

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