Resurfaced reports of Burberry burning $37 million in clothes in 2018 reignite anger

A viral Reddit post is once again shining a light on one of fashion's most controversial practices: destroying perfectly usable products.

What happened?

A recent discussion in the Anticonsumption subreddit with thousands of upvotes revived criticism of Burberry, revisiting 2018 reports that the company destroyed roughly $37 million in unsold products in a single year. According to BBC reporting from that period, "Fashion firms including Burberry destroy unwanted items to prevent them being stolen or sold cheaply."

To place Burberry in a broader industry context, 2024 reporting from The Guardian noted that between 10% and 40% of clothing produced each year is not sold. The subreddit poster described the disposal of excess stock as one way brands protect "Brand Exclusivity."

The post also pointed to European rules intended to curb the practice. 

In France, the Anti-Waste and Circular Economy Law — commonly referred to as AGEC and enacted in 2020 — bars companies from destroying unsold non-food goods such as clothing, cosmetics, and electronics, requiring them to donate, reuse, or recycle those items instead. 

At the EU level, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation — or ESPR, enacted in 2024 — bans the destruction of certain categories of unsold consumer products.

Why does this matter?

When companies destroy unsold clothing, all the water, energy, labor, and raw materials used to make those products are wasted, too. If those garments contain synthetic fibers, the environmental toll can be even greater, since plastic-based textiles create pollution during production and again when they are incinerated or discarded.

The issue points to a deeper problem within the fashion industry: overproduction. 

Rather than making fewer goods or building systems for repair, resale, and donation, some brands have treated destruction as part of the cost of doing business. While that approach may help protect high prices, it leaves communities and the environment to absorb the consequences.

Laws such as France's AGEC and the EU's ESPR rules are pushing companies away from destroying unsold goods. Consumers can also help by buying fewer, longer-lasting items and exploring plastic-free alternatives for everyday products.

What are people saying?

Reddit commenters were furious about this resurfaced topic.

One commenter said, "And that is why governments need to regulate corporations. The 'social responsibility' and 'green' initiatives are a farce to make people feel good about buying their brand."

Another summed up the climate cost this way: "Emissions when you synthesize the plastic fabric! Emissions when you burn it! Gotta love trash fashion. Sorry, I mean fast fashion."

And one commenter offered the simplest fix of all: "You know, they could have what they wanted if they just manufactured less …"

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