Government 'should consider' €2 levy on online purchases of small parcels to counter fast fashion

Recent data from the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that per capita consumption of new textiles in Ireland is 53kg per year, more than twice the European average of 26kg reported by the European Environment Agency

Junior enterprise minister Alan Dillon said some of the textiles being purchased in Ireland could be ending up in Africa and that consumer behaviour should change. File photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Government "should consider" a €2 EU levy on small packages of online purchases, a junior minister has said.

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic has proposed a €2 handling fee on packages sent directly to peoples' homes, with a 50 cent tax on items sent to warehouses. Junior enterprise minister Alan Dillon said such a move should be considered for its potential economic impacts.

Mr Dillon on Wednesday launched a public consultation on a National Policy Statement & Roadmap on Circular Textiles, with the minister saying the Government wants people to consider more carefully the amount of textiles they consume yearly. Most recent data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that per capita consumption of new textiles in Ireland is 53kg per year, more than twice the European average of 26kg reported by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

The policy statement includes measures to promote circular design to make textiles last longer, to make them easier to reuse, repair and recycle, alongside better labelling through mandatory EU laws on eco-design. A government statement said it "will ensure that textile products entering the EU market are designed, from the outset, to minimise waste and maximise sustainability".

“It also contains measures to apply the ‘polluter pays principle’ which will make the fashion industry responsible for its textile waste. Plans to create an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for textiles will support efficient textile collection, sorting, reuse and recycling, while driving the use of sustainable fibres and sustainable business models. 

"I believe that these ambitious proposals, among others, will help to curb fast fashion trends, boost the reuse and recycling of textiles and reduce the environmental footprint of the sector.”

On RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Dillon said some of the textiles being purchased in Ireland could be ending up in Africa and that consumer behaviour should change.

We need to buy less, wear our clothes for longer, and look at second-hand options.

"It's entirely possible that many of these textiles find their way into Africa or other countries, and at present the waste management industry in Ireland does rely on the export market to meet the processing needs and the volumes of textile waste that's being produced."

However, the Labour Party said the consultation is disingenuous from Fine Gael, given that former enterprise minister Simon Coveney had opened fast-fashion retailer Shein's HQ in 2023.

Dublin South West TD Ciaran Ahern said it "lacks credibility for Fine Gael to belatedly wake up to this crisis". "Just two years ago, then minister Simon Coveney proudly opened Shein’s Dublin HQ. This was at a time when we already knew the shocking environmental impact that such producers have."