Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees on clothing may need to be set noticeably higher than many policymakers assume before they materially affect shopper behaviour, according to new research from WEFT and Manchester Metropolitan University. The study suggests that EPR “recycling charges” only start to influence purchasing decisions once they rise above £0.50 per item—and that when the fees do bite, they change what consumers choose rather than how much they spend overall.
Researchers tested the responses of 2,803 UK shoppers to different recycling-charge scenarios to understand how consumers react when EPR costs are made visible at the point of purchase. WEFT said the work indicates charges below £0.50 per garment have limited behavioural impact, but once fees cross that threshold, shoppers become more likely to seek products with a lower charge.
The findings point to a notable trade-off dynamic. When fees above £0.50 were applied, consumers were observed switching to items carrying lower EPR charges even when those alternatives had higher retail prices. In one example, shoppers opted for a £20 garment with a £0.30 recycling charge instead of a £15 garment carrying a £0.60 charge—suggesting visible EPR charges can become a stronger purchase signal than the base price in certain situations.
At higher fee levels, the effect intensified. Charges of £1 or more prompted almost half of shoppers to alter their decision toward an item with a lower charge. The researchers said this underlines how environmental price signals—when clearly shown—can shift consumer choice.
Notably, total spending did not fall materially across the models tested. Instead of buying fewer garments, many shoppers “traded up,” choosing higher-priced items that carried lower EPR charges, keeping overall spend broadly steady. In WEFT’s view, that is a key insight for policy design: visible EPR charges could steer shoppers toward products that are cheaper to recycle (or presumed to be lower-impact), without necessarily reducing consumption in the short term.
The research lands as EPR frameworks move toward the centre of the fashion circularity debate, with policymakers exploring how best to fund clothing collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure. WEFT said the results offer practical evidence for governments considering fee levels, transparency requirements and eco-modulation mechanisms.
“The UK fashion and textile industry is entering a new phase in its sustainability journey, one that demands both honesty and courage. This research gives policymakers and the fashion industry the first real evidence of how shoppers respond to visible recycling charges on clothing,” explained Kristina Bull, co-founder of WEFT.
“The data shows clearly that small charges are unlikely to influence behaviour, but once charges pass a certain level, they become a powerful signal in purchase decisions.”
WEFT said it is now seeking brand and retailer partners to run further trials in real retail contexts, both online and in-store, to test whether the same patterns hold outside controlled research environments and how shoppers respond over time.
The work was supported by the Back to Baseline programme and developed with academic input from the Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University. Professor Liz Barnes, head of the Manchester Fashion Institute, said: “The findings provide important evidence for policymakers and industry designing future textile EPR systems. Understanding how shoppers respond to visible charges will be essential to ensure that any system is both affordable and capable of funding effective recycling infrastructure.”
Extended Producer Responsibility, textile EPR, WEFT, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester Fashion Institute, recycling charges, consumer behaviour study, UK shoppers, price signalling, circular economy funding, clothing waste, policy design, Kristina Bull, Professor Liz Barnes, Back to Baseline programme, retail trials
