Also in 2022 the systematic destruction of new goods will still be commonplace. Particularly in the textile and electronics industry, huge amounts of goods are destroyed if they cannot be sold within one season. An absurd practice and a huge waste of resources, especially in times of the climate crisis.
With the start of the annual shopping peak season, Greenpeace surveyed ten major retail companies in Austria about how they handle unsold goods, including H&M, Amazon and Mediamarkt. Only C&A submitted some figures.
The company stated that in 2021 approximately 160,000 surplus garments were sold to wholesalers and 560,000 were returned to C&A by customers – however exact figures on how much of this was thrown away and how many were re-sold.
Mediamarkt refers to repair service offerings and supports legislative initiatives that prohibit the destruction of goods. H&M, Peek and Cloppenburg, Amazon and Hartlauer responded to the question with general sentences about sustainability initiatives. Greenpeace received no response from the companies Vineyards, Zara, Zalando and Conrad.
Fashion retailers were left with millions of garments
There is no official data on the extent of surplus quantities and destruction of goods in Austria. However, due to the current price increases, stocks are full. Experts estimate that up to 30 percent of clothing produced in industrialized countries goes unsold. During the pandemic, fashion stores in Austria were left with 50 million items of clothing.
Ask about environmental and social standards
“Our abundance is based on the exploitation of the planet and millions of people in the South. We now need the announced Supply Chain Act, which will eventually legislate environmental and social standards throughout the supply chain. Companies need to change their business model and offer more second-hand, rental and repair services instead of disposable items,” claims consumer expert Lisa Panhuber.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
