Carrefour launched the experimentation of displaying the environmental cost on nearly 70 garments from its Tex brand, relying on the public Ecobalyse tool.
This initiative fits within a context of rising prominence of environmental information available to consumers, but also within a broader responsible consumption strategy pursued by the group.
Ecobalyse Environmental Labeling: A Real-World Test at Carrefour
Carrefour has just announced the launch of an unprecedented experiment in France: the retailer will test Ecobalyse to display the environmental cost of selected Tex garments. This environmental labeling rests on an official methodology supported by the state, EcoScore, and aims to illuminate purchasing decisions.
The experiment covers nearly 70 Tex clothing references. With this initiative, the retailer becomes the first major retailer to test textile environmental labeling at this scale. Ecobalyse translates the overall environmental impact of a product into points, calculated from a life cycle assessment. Thus, effects related to water, forests, greenhouse gas emissions, as well as raw materials like cotton, are integrated.
Concretely, the environmental labeling will be visible in-store and online, notably via a QR code. Thanks to Ecobalyse, the consumer gains access to a synthetic score, but also to detailed information. The stated objective is to make the garment’s environmental footprint more legible, while fostering direct comparison between products. This test phase should also allow refining the pedagogy around the tool, as understanding environmental impacts remains a central issue.
Ecobalyse, a public tool for measuring textile impact
Developed in the framework of public policy, Ecobalyse is an open-source tool made available to businesses and public authorities, according to the Ministry of Ecological Transition. It relies on life cycle analysis methods recognized at the European level. Each garment is assigned a score expressed in impact points per 100 grams of product, incorporating water use, forest impact, the use of organic or conventional cotton, as well as durability.
Initial results released illustrate the gap between production models. Thus, a Tex T-shirt made from organic cotton shows around 510 impact points per 100 grams, while a similar product from fast fashion exceeds 1,000 points. On average, the Tex garments evaluated reach 542.91 points. These figures show that Ecobalyse makes environmental differences tangible that are often invisible to the consumer. However, the ministry notes that environmental labeling remains voluntary at this stage, even though it aligns with the trajectory set by the Climate and Resilience law.
Integrating Ecobalyse aligns with Carrefour’s “Tex Responsable” commitments
This experiment sits within Carrefour’s long-running “Tex Responsable” strategy. The first commitment focuses on increased use of more responsible materials, notably organic or recycled cotton, to reduce impact on water and soils. The second commitment targets the limitation of chemical substances, an issue directly addressed by Ecobalyse and the environmental labeling.
The third commitment aims at product durability, with garments designed to last longer. This dimension is integrated into the environmental score calculation, because a more durable garment spreads its impact over a longer period. The fourth commitment concerns traceability and transparency, reinforced by the environmental labeling made possible thanks to Ecobalyse. Finally, the fifth commitment focuses on consumer awareness, a central objective of this experimentation. According to the Ministry of Ecological Transition, textile environmental labeling must become a key lever to guide purchasing choices toward lower-impact products.
