Insights / ESPR (Ecodesign)
Does the ESPR Ban on Destroying Unsold Products Apply to Electrical Equipment?
Does the ESPR ban on destroying unsold products apply to cables, meters, transformers or other electrical equipment?
No. The ban in Article 25(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 applies from 19 July 2026 only to the consumer products in Annex VII: apparel, clothing accessories and footwear. Components and intermediate products are not consumer products (Article 2(36)), and no grid equipment is in Annex VII. Micro and small enterprises are exempt; medium-sized enterprises are covered from 19 July 2030.
What the act says
- Article 25(1) and Annex VII: Apparel and clothing accessories (CN 4203, 61, 62, 6504 and 6505) and footwear (CN 6401 to 6405).
- Article 24(1): The yearly disclosure of discarded unsold consumer products has the same company-size rules.
What to do
- No action for grid equipment under this article; keep an eye on Annex VII changes.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (ESPR) (CELEX 32024R1781)
Last checked against the act text on 2026-10-20. For information only, not legal advice.