French AGEC Law: Decree n° 2022-748 of April 29, 2022, Issued for the Environmental Labeling of Waste-Generating Products for the French Market

Vol. 1309 | 15 Jun 2022

Decree n° 2022-748 of April 29, 2022, relating to consumer information on the environmental qualities and characteristics of waste-generating products, was published in the French Official Journal on April 30, 2022.

Decree n° 2022-748 is intended for the environmental labeling of waste-generating products. It applies to all relevant producers, importers, and dealers of products intended for consumers. It will include those using online distribution channels such as websites.

Consumer information on the environmental qualities and characteristics of waste-generating products, concerning apparel, soft home furnishing, and textile including footwear, will be given in the form of a dematerialized product sheet, accessible during the purchase act.

From January 1, 2023, this dematerialized product sheet will allow consumers of these products to know:

• The amount of recycled material incorporated
• Recyclability
• The presence of hazardous substances
• Geographical traceability of the 3 major manufacturing steps (weaving, dyeing, assembly/finishing)
• The presence of plastic microfibers when the proportion by mass of synthetic fibers is greater than 50%

The text explains and clarifies there is a ban already in place through the current law on the use, of any product or packaging, to claim "biodegradable", "environmentally friendly" or any other similar claim.

This decree will have to be gradually integrated by companies between 2023 and 2025, according to established scheduling, considering their turnover and the number of units.

Calendar and public concerned by the new decree n° 2022-748

If you have any questions, please contact Zineb Danon (zineb.danon@intertek.com) or Mike Redshaw (mike.redshaw@intertek.com).