Retailers are set to pay for shoppers’ e-waste recycling from 2026 under new UK plans from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
UK producers and retailers are planned to cover the bill for household and in-store collections of electrical waste, the government department revealed in a consultation published today.
The measures include the requirement for larger retail companies to create free “collection drop points for electrical items in-store” without needing to exchange products with a new purchase.
Defra explained online sellers and in-store retailers would have to collect any broken or rejected large electrical goods while delivering replacement goods from 2026.
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The news comes after nearly half a billion small electrical products were dumped in landfill last year, according to Material Focus.
Recycling minister Robbie Moore said: “Every year millions of household electricals across the UK end up in the bin rather than being correctly recycled or reused. This is a sheer waste of our natural resources and has to stop.
“We all have a drawer of old tech somewhere that we don’t know what to do with and our proposals will ensure these gadgets are easy to dispose of without the need for a trip to your local tip.”
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