Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is the EU framework regulation, in force since 18 July 2024, that lets the Commission set durability, repairability and information rules, including digital product passports, and bans destroying unsold apparel and footwear.
What it requires
Product-specific requirements and digital product passports arrive through delegated acts, with textiles, steel, aluminium, furniture, tyres and mattresses among the first priorities. Since 19 July 2026, large enterprises may not destroy unsold apparel, clothing accessories or footwear, except in cases such as safety hazards or damage that cannot be repaired. Medium-sized enterprises follow in July 2030. Large enterprises must also disclose the number and weight of unsold consumer products they discard each year, using a Commission format.
Why it matters
ESPR directly limits how fashion brands and their 3PLs dispose of excess and returned stock in the EU. Since July 2026, large apparel and footwear brands can no longer send unsold goods to destruction, so excess inventory must go to resale, donation, outlets, refurbishment or recycling. For example, a 3PL holding end-of-season sneakers for a large brand in a Dutch warehouse must route them to liquidation or donation channels and keep records, because destruction is allowed only in narrow exceptions such as contaminated or unsafe products.
Related laws
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (EUR-Lex) eur-lex.europa.eu
- European Commission: Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation commission.europa.eu
Not legal advice.