Amazon France to debut automated donation program for unsold inventory from 2020
The program will allow Amazon’s third party sellers, both in France and abroad, to automatically donate their unsold products to charity, as opposed to destroying them, which many currently do.
The program will also simplify the donation process, according to Duval. The move follows a recent report by Attac and Friends of the Earth, which criticised Amazon for the negative environmental impact and high-carbon footprint of its destruction of unsold merchandise, among its many other practices.
“I am pleased to announce today that, from 2020, we will put a new program in place in France, donation sent by Amazon,” said Amazon’s country manager for France, Frédéric Duval, on November 29, Black Friday.
Duval also said that Amazon was committed to making its business more eco-friendly and will use only renewable energy from 2030.
In a tweet, Secretary of State to the Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, Brune Poirson, explained that the French government’s anti-waste law, which is currently under review, would prohibit the destruction of new, unsold products for all businesses.
“The first prohibitions are scheduled within 12 months of the adoption of the law,” wrote Poirson, ironically thanking Amazon for agreeing to respect the new regulations.
Amazon faced heavy criticism on Black Friday and was targeted in Paris, Lyon, and the North of France, by a number of environmental activists, denouncing the climate consequences of overconsumption.
In Germany, hundreds of Amazon employees went on strike on Friday to demand better wages and working conditions.
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