5 Key Regulations to Watch in 2026: Complete Guide

The year 2026 is shaping up as a decisive turning point for European businesses. Between new environmental obligations and the strengthening of existing regulations, the regulatory landscape is becoming increasingly complex at an unprecedented pace.

Why 2026 Marks a Regulatory Tipping Point

This pivotal year concentrates the entry into force of several major texts that will fundamentally transform how companies operate:

• Extension of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) to new sectors
• Tightening of traceability obligations in the supply chain
• New requirements for circular economy
• Strengthening of penalties for non-compliance
• Increased transparency obligations toward consumers

The Concrete Impact on Your Business

These regulations are not mere administrative formalities. They redefine the rules of the game in several critical areas:

For the retail sector:

• Obligation to provide detailed information on product origin and sustainability
• Implementation of comprehensive traceability systems
• Development of second-hand and refurbishment programs

For logistics and supply chain:

• Exhaustive documentation of material flows
• Certification of repair and refurbishment processes
• Integration of environmental criteria in partner selection

Your Roadmap to 2026

This guide accompanies you in understanding and anticipating these major challenges. You will discover:

Regulation	Impact	Implementation Timeline	Priority Sectors
Extended DPP	Mandatory product traceability	6 months	Textile, Electronics, Furniture
Circular Economy Act	Reuse quotas	12 months	Retail, Manufacturing
Supply Chain Due Diligence	Enhanced supplier audits	18 months	All sectors
Extended Producer Responsibility	Expanded responsibility	9 months	Consumer goods
Green Claims Directive	Environmental proof	15 months	Marketing, Communication

Prepare to navigate this new regulatory landscape with confidence and transform these obligations into sustainable growth opportunities.

Introduction: 2026, the pivotal year of European regulation

The year 2026 marks a decisive turning point for the European textile industry. This pivotal period is shaping up as the most transformative of the last decade for retail and fashion players.

While preparatory work for the Digital Product Passport (DPP) officially begins this year, retailers and fashion brands face an unprecedented regulatory wave. This convergence of new obligations completely redefines commercial rules of the game.

The finding revealed by a recent European Commission study is particularly concerning: 85% of European textile companies are not prepared for the new DPP obligations that will come into force in 2027.

This massive lack of preparation represents a major risk for business continuity. But it also opens a unique window of opportunity for proactive companies that can anticipate these transformations.

Regulatory acceleration: an unprecedented European phenomenon

The European Union is intensifying its sustainability and circularity strategy at a pace never seen in commercial regulation history. This acceleration is part of the European Green Deal framework and aims to fundamentally transform the continental economy.

The ESPR (Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation) constitutes the central pillar of this regulatory transformation. It establishes a new paradigm where the circular economy becomes the norm, not the exception.

Its direct implications affect all aspects of your business:

• Complete traceability of the supply chain, from raw material to end consumer
• Mandatory sustainability criteria for each product marketed on European territory
• Consumer transparency via the DPP, providing instant access to product information
• Repairability and recyclability obligations, transforming the linear economic model
• Refurbishment and second-hand standards, integrating circular economy into retail processes

This regulatory revolution requires companies to completely rethink their supply chain and commercial practices. Players who master these traceability and sustainability challenges will gain a decisive competitive advantage.

Financial impact: millions of euros at stake

The challenges go far beyond simple regulatory compliance and directly affect company profitability. The financial impact of these new regulations is measured in millions of euros for major retail players.

Non-compliance with DPP and associated regulations can lead to dramatic financial consequences:

• Fines up to 4% of annual global turnover, amounts that can reach several tens of millions of euros
• Marketing ban on the European market, representing immediate revenue loss
• Loss of consumer confidence with direct impact on sales and brand valuation
• Emergency compliance costs, exponentially higher than anticipated preparation

Conversely, proactive companies that invest now in their transformation already observe gains of 15 to 25% on their margins through optimization of their sustainable and circular processes.

These gains come from multiple sources: reduced raw material costs, optimized logistics flows, valorization of second-hand products, and development of refurbishment services generating recurring revenue.

The 5 essential regulations of 2026

Faced with this growing complexity of the European regulatory landscape, we have identified 5 major regulations that every retail player must absolutely master to navigate serenely toward 2026 and beyond.

Regulation	Priority Sector	Critical Deadline	Business Impact
1. Digital Product Passport (DPP)	Textile & Footwear	Preparatory work 2026	Mandatory complete traceability
2. Due Diligence Directive	All companies >1000 employees	Application 2027	Extended supply chain responsibility
3. Deforestation Regulation	Global supply chain	Enhanced controls 2026	Material origin certification
4. AGEC Law 2.0	Retail France	New obligations 2026	Reinforced circular economy
5. Sectoral ESG Standards	Textile specifically	Binding criteria 2026	Mandatory sustainability reporting

Each of these regulations profoundly transforms commercial practices and imposes new sustainability and circularity standards. Their convergence in 2026 creates a threshold effect that disrupts the entire retail sector.

"Companies that anticipate these regulatory changes transform a constraint into a sustainable competitive advantage. They create new economic models based on circularity and transparency." — ZIQY Compliance Expert

Methodology: from analysis to action

To effectively support you in this transformation, each regulation will be analyzed according to 4 complementary and actionable strategic axes:

1. Operational impact on your current processes

• Detailed analysis of necessary modifications in your workflows
• Identification of friction points and optimization opportunities
• Assessment of required human and technical resources

2. Critical deadlines not to miss

• Precise calendar of legal obligations
• Intermediate preparation milestones
• Control and validation points

3. Practical compliance solutions

• Adapted technological tools (notably ZIQY solutions)
• Optimized operational processes
• Recommended strategic partnerships

4. Business opportunities to seize

• New markets accessible through compliance
• Innovative services to develop (refurbishment, second-hand, circular economy)
• Sustainable competitive advantages

This methodological approach will allow you to transform regulatory obligation into a growth lever and differentiation in your market. It integrates traceability, sustainability, and technological innovation challenges into a coherent vision.

Your roadmap to 2026 compliance

This guide serves as your strategic companion to navigate the regulatory complexity of 2026. Each section includes concrete actions, practical tools, and expert recommendations to serenely anticipate these major transformations.

The objective is to enable you to move from a defensive posture to a proactive approach, transforming regulatory constraints into growth and innovation opportunities.