AsemconnectVietnam - 2026 is predicted to be a historic milestone when "Green consumption" in Europe and France will no longer be voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns, but will be officially governed by strict legal frameworks.

The Eco-Design Regulation (ESPR) will reshape the circular economy (strongly impacting textiles and footwear)
From July 19, 2026, the EU will officially apply a regulation prohibiting the destruction of unsold garment and footwear inventory for large businesses. Simultaneously, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanism will be activated, forcing brands to pay for the collection and management of textile waste.
Under the pressure of these laws and fees, the cost of "fast fashion" will be pushed up, simultaneously killing the "disposable" culture. Consumers will develop a habit of buying less but prioritizing durable, repairable, and reusable products. To adapt, resale/second-hand sales models and product return services will shift from voluntary programs to mandatory operating standards for all fashion brands in France.
The Consumer Protection Directive (EU 2024/825) ushers in the era of Digital Product Passports (impacts across industries).
From September 27, 2026, the EU will tighten regulations on "greenwashing," completely banning vague advertising claims such as "environmentally friendly" without supporting data. To meet this requirement, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) will be implemented as a mandatory traceability tool.
This law makes European consumers more discerning and pragmatic, shifting from trusting advertising to "evidence-based consumption." Customers (especially retail chains) will require suppliers to provide complete digitized data on the origin of materials, chemicals, emissions, and product lifecycle before making a purchase decision. Brands lacking data transparency will be immediately eliminated.
The EUDR regulation turns "no forest degradation" into a hard barrier (strongly impacting the wood and furniture industry).
From December 30, 2026, the EU's Forest Degradation Regulation (EUDR) will officially apply to medium and large enterprises, making forest protection a legally binding "hard" criterion.
End consumers may not fully understand the technical terms of the EUDR, but supermarket chains and furniture distributors will be forced to proactively act as "filters" right from the input stage to avoid legal risks. The fate of a furniture order now depends entirely on geographic location (GPS) data tracing the growing region. Items without verifiable origins will be stopped at border crossings and have no chance of accessing distribution channels.
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR) promote "smart consumption" (directly impacting the seafood industry)
The food industry is facing Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR) effective from August 12, 2026. This law creates immense pressure on businesses to optimize packaging design, minimize plastic, and use environmentally friendly materials in logistics.
This law strongly resonates with the trend of tightening spending due to inflation (the EU Fish Market report shows that home consumption of fresh fish decreased by 5% in 2024). To optimize their budgets, EU citizens are shifting towards "smart consumption": choosing convenient, easy-to-prepare, and less wasteful seafood products (such as fillets and pre-processed frozen products) at reasonable prices. Supermarkets will therefore become increasingly stringent, requiring imported seafood products not only to meet ecological standards (ASC/MSC) but also to strictly comply with new packaging regulations.
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Source: VITIC/ moit.gov.vn