Boohoo

This week, Sephora announced plans to double down on ‘green’ and ‘clean’ product labels, leaning into an increasingly risky marketing tactic even as a greenwashing crackdown has prompted other brands to pull back.

Amid a spending slowdown and steep competition, the UK fast-fashion players including Asos and Frasers Group are selling off struggling brands.

Retailers including Selfridges, Asos and Boohoo have mislabelled real feathers as ‘faux,’ according to a new investigation, as the feather trend on red carpets and runways fuels debate over whether the material is ethical.

The pullback on returns comes after the e-commerce sector spent the past two decades removing costs from supply chains and customer service. But returns had barely been touched, leaving them as one of the few places with lots of room for reducing expenses.

Boohoo’s latest marketing move — tapping a mega-influencer as 'sustainability ambassador' — embodies the conflicts inherent in sustainability marketing.

Companies including Boohoo, Asos and H&M are in the crosshairs, as mounting scrutiny of green claims ratchets up the pressure on brands to credibly back up any sustainability messaging.

This year the hit reality series was sponsored by resale site eBay, a move celebrated as promoting more responsible consumption. But the show is still a huge marketing opportunity for fast-fashion brands.

Missguided, which went into administration and was bought in a fire sale this week, never quite established a unique style or signature product category that would differentiate it from bigger rivals like Boohoo, Asos or H&M.

The past two years have significantly changed the retail game. As we move into 2022, the rules are still evolving.

High shipping costs and global supply chain disruptions are starting to challenge European clothing retailers.