European Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, is the EU framework that sets ecodesign requirements to make products more durable, repairable, recyclable and transparent. It replaces the previous Ecodesign Directive (2009/125/EC) and extends sustainability requirements well beyond energy-related products to cover almost all goods placed on the EU market. The ESPR entered into force on 18 July 2024, with a transition period running until 2030 as product-specific rules are gradually adopted.

Context and objectives

The ESPR is a central pillar of the European Green Deal and the 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan. Its goal is to improve the environmental sustainability and circularity of products throughout their life cycle, reduce their material and energy footprint, and give consumers and businesses better information about what they buy. Rather than setting fixed targets in the regulation itself, the ESPR creates a framework: specific requirements are set later, product group by product group, through delegated acts and a multi-year working plan.

Scope and product requirements

Through delegated acts, the ESPR can introduce requirements on aspects such as:

• Durability, reliability, reparability and upgradability.
• Recyclability and recycled content.
• Resource and energy efficiency, and the presence of substances of concern.
• Carbon and environmental footprint, and the availability of spare parts and repair information.

The first ESPR and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2025-2030, published on 16 April 2025, identified the priority product groups: steel and aluminium, textiles (with a focus on apparel), furniture, tyres and mattresses, alongside several energy-related products. Preparatory work on textiles and steel has already begun.

The Digital Product Passport (DPP)

One of the central innovations of the ESPR is the Digital Product Passport (DPP), a structured set of data, accessible via a data carrier such as a QR code, that travels with the product. The DPP is designed to make information on composition, durability, repair, spare parts and end-of-life handling available to consumers, businesses and authorities. A central DPP registry is to be set up by July 2026, while the detailed data requirements for each product group (for example textiles) will be defined in the corresponding delegated acts, expected from 2027 onwards.

Ban on destroying unsold goods

The ESPR introduces a ban on the destruction of certain unsold consumer products. For apparel, clothing accessories and footwear, the prohibition applies to large companies from 19 July 2026 and to medium-sized companies from 19 July 2030, while small and micro enterprises are broadly exempt. A delegated regulation setting out the derogations from this prohibition applies from 12 May 2026. In addition, large companies will have to disclose publicly the quantities of unsold consumer products they discard each year.

What it means for companies

The ESPR will change how products are designed, marketed and documented in the EU. For many companies it implies:

• Reviewing product design against future ecodesign requirements for their categories.
• Building the data and supply-chain traceability needed to populate the Digital Product Passport.
• Sourcing recycled and more durable materials, and improving reparability.
• Adapting reporting and internal processes, in coordination with other obligations.

Links with other rules

The ESPR connects with several other pieces of EU legislation, including the Right to Repair Directive, which reinforces reparability, the extended producer responsibility schemes for various product streams, and the sustainability reporting required under the CSRD and the ESRS. Together with the circular economy agenda, these rules push companies towards more durable, repairable and traceable products.

At Manglai we help companies measure their environmental impact and prepare the data and reporting they need to comply with EU sustainability rules such as the ESPR. Discover how Manglai can help you.