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France is set to launch a bonus scheme aimed at encouraging consumers to repair clothes and shoes instead of discarding them and purchasing new ones, according to reports by the BBC.

To support the repair sector and generate employment opportunities, the government plans to allocate €154m over a period of five years to fund the bonus initiative.

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Starting in October, consumers will receive a discount ranging from €6 to €25 per repair as part of the bonus programme.

The BBC reports that junior ecology minister Bérangère Couillard has complained about the 700,000 tonnes of clothing that end up in landfills in France annually.

Couillard wants all sewing workshops and shoemakers to participate in the programme.

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French news publication, The Connexion reports those participating in the programme will offer a rebate of:

  • €6 for an unravelled seam or an unlined garment
  • €7 for a hole, snag or tear in an item of clothing or a broken heel
  • €8 to glue a shoe sole
  • €8 – €15 to repair a zip
  • €10 – €25 to mend a lining
  • €25 to repair a leather shoe

Couillard told the BBC the French Government’s objective is to promote the repair industry and encourage consumers to opt for sustainable practices by purchasing “virtuous” products and repairing them instead of buying new items.

However, the BBC also noted that not everyone is enthusiastic about the government’s make-do-and-mend approach with business groups cautioning against “stigmatising” a significant industry in France.

France made the first move on fashion sustainability legislation with the French Decree 2022-748 AGEC (Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy Law) coming into force in January this year.

It is part of the French Government’s new ecological model where the sustainability specifications of consumer products – garments, shoes and home textiles – are made fully available to shoppers.