Ban on PFAS in France
Learn about the proposed French ban on articles containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and your required actions.
Important
Disclaimer: The information on this page doesn’t constitute legal advice. Please contact a legal advisor if you have any legal questions.
Background
In February 2025, the French government published a decree to ban the sale of consumer articles that contain or are treated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This ban is currently planned to start on 1 January 2026, but the proposed law is under review.
For the implementation of this restriction, the French government has defined PFAS as any substance that contains at least one fully fluorinated methyl (-CF3) or methylene (-CF2) carbon atom without any hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or iodine atoms bonded to it.
The decree confirms that more information on the restricted PFAS definition and the applied limits will be published in December 2025.
In August 2025, the French government published a draft of the proposed supplementary decree for national and European Commission consultation. The national consultation period ended in September 2025, and the European Commission consultation period will end on 10 November 2025.The proposed decree will be published in December if there are no significant objections.
To prepare for the potentially short time between publication and implementation, please do the following:
Actions you need to take
Review your article assortment
Check your article assortment for articles that contain or have been treated with PFAS.
Good to know
PFAS are typically found in waterproof and stain-resistant finishes in apparel and footwear. They might also be used in cosmetics.
2. Contact us by 15 December 2025
If you have affected articles, please contact us by 15 December at the latest. This ensures we can deactivate the articles for the French market before the ban, protecting you from potential fines.
Reach out to our Partner Care team via our support form by 15 December 2025. Select category: Product safety, and request type: Product deactivation.
Please provide the list of articles, including the following information:
Article description
European Article Number (EAN)
Zalando SKU
3. We’ll deactivate the affected articles
We'll then deactivate the affected articles from Zalando France before the ban starts.
FAQs
What is the proposed ban in France?
In February 2025, the French government published a decree banning the sale of consumer articles that have been treated with or contain PFAS. The ban on selling these articles is due to come into force on 1 January 2026, though the proposal is currently under review. The decree specifically mentions any textile clothing, footwear, waterproofing agents for clothing and footwear, cosmetics and any wax products containing PFAS.
Who does this impact?
This ban applies to anyone who manufacturers, places products on or sells products into the French market.
What product categories are impacted?
PFAS are typically found in waterproof and stain-resistant finishes in apparel and footwear, and might be used either as an ingredient or as a processing aid in cosmetics. The proposal confirms a ban on placing any textile clothing, footwear, cosmetic products, waterproofing agents of textiles and footwear, and wax products containing PFAS from 1 January 2026.
What do I need to do?
Check whether any of the articles you offer via Zalando have been treated with a finish or processing aid that contains any PFAS. If there are any affected articles, inform Partner Care through the support form so we can deactivate them in the French market.
What happens if I don’t remove my impacted assortment?
You are responsible for ensuring the compliance of your articles. If you are selling articles containing PFAS on Zalando France and fail to provide the necessary list of affected articles by 15 December 2025, you may face fines from the French authorities when the ban is enforced starting 1 January 2026. In addition, you will be held liable for any resulting fines, fees, or charges incurred by Zalando due to your non-compliance.
Does this proposed ban apply only to France?
Yes, this is a French law and only applies in France. At the EU level a restriction on the use of PFAS is currently under consideration and review, however this is unlikely to come into effect before 2028 at the earliest. The French government has confirmed that its restrictions will be replaced by the European restriction once it comes into force.
Where can I find more information about the proposed French PFAS ban?
The details of the proposed decree can be found on the European Commission's TRIS website here.
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