Équiterre Report Calls for Action Against the Destruction of New, Unsold Goods

Montreal, July 14, 2025 - As the combined impacts of the cost-of-living crisis and the ecological crisis become increasingly clear, Équiterre is urging governments to crack down on companies that destroy unsold goods. The organization is releasing a new report outlining concrete recommendations to tackle this issue.

In recent years, numerous media stories have revealed the shocking extent of waste across a wide range of industries. From clothing to toys to home improvement and even convenience stores, examples abound: companies are discarding or destroying brand-new products for reasons that defy logic and responsibility.

“What our report shows, drawing on policy examples from other countries, is that our governments can tackle this issue head-on,” says Julie-Christine Denoncourt, source reduction analyst at Équiterre and author of the report.

“The public is on our side. There’s broad consensus that this kind of waste is both shameful and unacceptable—especially given today’s economic and environmental challenges,” she adds.

Hundreds of Testimonials

Équiterre also issued a call for anonymous testimonials on Reddit and Facebook, receiving hundreds of stories from employees across various industries. Many of the stories described shocking and outrageous examples of corporate waste.

“When you read these stories, it becomes clear that this is happening across multiple sectors, in many different ways. I think it’s fair to say we’re facing a systemic issue,” says Denoncourt.

In light of the scale of the problem, Équiterre is calling for a strong legislative framework to ban the destruction of unsold goods in Quebec and across Canada, drawing inspiration from policies already in place in France, Germany, and California.

Our Recommendations to the Quebec Government

Équiterre is urging for a ban on the destruction of new, unsold goods, starting with clothing, accessories, household appliances, and electronic devices. Specifically, we propose:

• Banning the destruction of goods, even if they’ve been returned by customers;

• Requiring companies to donate them to social economy organizations, ideally within their local communities;

• Imposing a “duty of ownership”, meaning companies must maintain the goods in great condition until they are donated;

• Tracking and publishing data on the number of unsold goods and how they are managed;

• Imposing fines on companies that fail to comply with these regulations.

Our Recommendations to the Federal Government

• Amending the Customs Tariff to promote the reuse or recycling of surplus goods instead of their destruction. Currently, businesses can be reimbursed for customs duties if they prove the goods were destroyed—a counterproductive and outdated policy;

• Providing a tax incentive for businesses that donate surplus items to recognized reuse organizations;

• Banning the destruction of unsold goods under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), by leveraging the federal government’s criminal law powers.

^{Équiterre's offices are located on Indigenous lands that have not been ceded by treaty, which we now call Montreal and Quebec City. We recognize that Indigenous peoples have protected their territories since immemorial times and have used their traditional knowledge to guard the lands and waters. We are grateful to live on these lands and are committed to continuing our efforts to protect them. Read more}