In 2018, Burberry announced it would stop burning unsold products.
The announcement followed reports that the company had destroyed unsold clothing, accessories and perfume worth more than £90 million over the preceding five years. Burberry said the practice was intended to protect its brand and prevent products from being stolen or sold cheaply.
The decision attracted criticism, particularly from environmental campaigners, because incinerating usable goods creates an obvious waste concern. Burberry responded that energy generated during burning was captured, but that explanation did not remove wider questions about overproduction and luxury-industry waste.
In September 2018, the company said it would end the practice with immediate effect. It also announced that it would stop using real fur and phase out existing fur products. The policy change is often remembered as an early high-profile example of a luxury brand responding to scrutiny over unsold inventory.