Destruction of unsold consumer products: EEB response to the public consultation on the derogations to the ban

The European Environmental Bureau welcomes the prohibition of destruction of unsold consumer products under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), and, in particular, that the prohibition applies to unsold apparel and clothing accessories as well as footwear products.

Destroying unsold goods contributes not only to the overgeneration of waste and pollution but also to the depletion of finite resources.

The prevalence of unsold goods is a direct result of overproduction in the sector. The prohibition of destruction of unsold goods must be used to prevent the accumulation of excess inventory and overstock, as well as the high rates of consumer returns.

In this response to the public consultation on derogations to the ban, the EEB warns the European Commission about the danger of allowing too many exceptions, and calls for such exceptions to be strictly limited to scenarios where reuse is truly impossible.