Take-back trickery

The report tracks 21 high-quality clothing items deposited in take-back bins of ten major fashion brands across the UK, France, Belgium, and Germany using Airtag trackers. The findings reveal a significant gap between corporate claims of 'closing the loop' and reality: many items in excellent condition were downcycled, incinerated, or exported to African markets where they often end up in landfills. The study highlights a failure in sorting processes and argues that these schemes often encourage further consumption through discount vouchers while providing consumers with a false sense of environmental responsibility. The authors call for stronger Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation in the EU to regulate waste exports and mandate reductions in overproduction.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2023). Take-back trickery. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Take-back-Trickery_German.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Take-back trickery. 2023. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Take-back-Trickery_German.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Take-back trickery |date=July 2023 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Take-back-Trickery_German.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2023takeback, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Take-back trickery}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2023}, month = jul, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Take-back-Trickery_German.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }