AGEC law services

What is the AGEC law French Decree No. 2002-748

Brands and retailers in France will have heard of AGEC (Anti-Gaspillage et pour l’Economie Circulaire) law sometimes referred to as the French Anti-Waste law. Introduced in 2020 the law aims to support the transition to a less wasteful and more circular economy.

It has a number of short, medium and longer terms objectives that are designed to encourage business across multiple sectors to minimise waste and adopt circular behaviours. The encouragement is framed as either prohibited actions or incentives; including measures to reduce the use of single-use plastic and encourage recycling.

Who AGEC law applies to

AGEC law French Decree No. 2022-748 applies to all goods sold in French territory.

What are the main objectives of AGEC law?

• The elimination of single-use plastic packaging by 2040
• Providing the consumer and waste contractors with better information
• Limiting waste creation, promoting re-use, recycling and repair
• Elimination of planned obsolescence
• Improving production techniques and resource management through design

A key tool for providing the consumer with better information is the Product Sheet of Environmental Qualities and Characteristics. This is mandated through Decree No. 2022-748. The product sheet must display the eco-credentials of both product and packaging on a model-level basis.

When the Product Sheet of Environmental Qualities and Characteristics applies | Company size

• From January 2023, for French producers with an annual turnover of more than 50 million Euros and 25000 units of product sold into the French market
• From January 2024, for French producers with an annual turnover of more than 20 million Euros and 10000 units of product sold into the French market
• From January 2025, for French producers with an annual turnover of more than 10 million Euros and 10000 units of product sold into the French market

Obligations under AGEC Product Sheet Law

Depending on the industry category, AGEC Law requires companies to provide information on the environmental characteristics of products and packaging according to the following categories

• Repairability
• Sustainability
• Re-use options
• Use of recycled material
• Use of renewable resources
• Compostability (biodegradability)
• Recyclability
• The presence of hazardous substances
• Traceability
• The presence of microfibres

AGEC Law Traceability and Eurofins Supply Chain Mapping service

Decree No. 2022-748 requires the producers of textiles and shoes to communicate to the customer in which country certain stages of the manufacture process took place. This information is to be made available on a dedicated website or web page that includes a product sheet relating to environmental qualities and characteristics of the product.

• For textiles, the geographical indication of the country where the weaving, dyeing and printing and manufacture stages were carried out must be communicated.
• For shoes, the geographical indication of the country where the stitching, assembly and the finishing stages were carried out must be communicated.

Through traceability technology, Eurofins supply chain mapping tool reveals the verified location of these stages of the production process, helping brands and retailers achieve compliance with this piece of legislation.

How Eurofins can help you comply with the French AGEC Law

Eurofins has a number of sustainability services that can support the quantification and qualification of the requirements listed above. Please click on the links below to find out more information or contact us for an AGEC law consultation.