ESPR online markets report

Product groups like textiles and small electronics are increasingly sold online and mostly imported from outside Europe. In March 2022, the European Commission published its proposal for the Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which is deemed the “cornerstone of the Commission’s approach to more environmentally sustainable and circular products”. The new legislation aims to make sustainable products the norm and stimulate the circular economy. It fits within an extensive framework of EU product and consumer legislation, expands the range of products subject to eco-design requirements, and requires traders to provide information to consumers to enable more sustainable choices. This report highlights the potential risk that sales made through the e-commerce sector could fail to comply with the ESPR.