Online Retailers Must Prepare for WEEE Regulation Changes
Online marketplaces and retailers selling electronic items need to be aware of recent amendments to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013 in the UK. Such organisations will soon have to contribute to the costs of processing e-waste, such as recycling and repairing, just like other businesses that sell electronic products in the country.
The changes aim to create a fairer playing field and reduce the burden on manufacturers and physical electronic retailers when it comes to managing WEEE they didn’t create. It’s estimated that 400,000 tonnes of household electronics are thrown away each year in the UK, like old toasters and lamps, so it’s a lot to handle.
If you run an online marketplace or online retail business (or e-tailer) that sells electronic goods in the UK, then you must prepare for these changes to WEEE regulations. Understand what the changes are, when they come into force, and how to ensure compliance.
What are the amendments
to the WEEE regulations?
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Amendment, etc.) Regulations 2025 were updated on 12 August 2025. Its obligation now covers operators of online marketplaces (OMPs) who place EEE on the UK market from non-UK based suppliers.
This means that online market places and retailers selling electronic and electrical items will have to report their sales and collection and recycling of post-consumer products. It aligns online marketplaces with physical brick-and-mortar retailers that sell electronic goods and for years have had to do this.
Online marketplaces will have to pay their share to manage the electrical waste they generate in a drive towards a circular economy. These amendments aim to make it fairer for UK businesses that currently cover the costs of recycling e-waste from post-consumer products like old and broke toasters, laptops, and lamps.
Items covered by the new WEEE regulatory change include:
- Laptops and tablets
- Smartphones
- Games consoles
- E-readers
- Smart watches
- Kitchen gadgets
- Electronic toys
- Hair driers and straighteners
- Electric shavers and razors
Why were the WEEE regulations amended?
The WEEE regulations have been amended to even the playing field when it comes to business responsibility for WEEE waste and recycling. Currently, electrical retailers and distributors must accept e-waste for free of the same type and function when customers buy from them, under the retailer take-back scheme.
Businesses with an electrical and electronic equipment sales area larger than 400 square metres (including aisle, display, and shelf space) must accept small WEEE items for free too – whether they were bought in the store or elsewhere. These are products less than 25cm on their longest side.
It meant consumers could buy electronic items from an online marketplace, such as Amazon or eBay, but return to recycle for free at a different retailer with a physical store. Amending the WEEE regulations aims to remove this burden and place the responsibility for recycling WEEE on the marketplace or e-retailer introducing the items into the UK market in the first place.
Estimates claim that around 100,000 tonnes of e-waste from households are disposed of incorrectly in the UK every year. These contain many valuable metals, including precious metals that should be recovered and reused. It’s hoped these changes will help improve e-waste recycling rates and contribute to a circular economy.
Who must follow these changes?
Any online marketplace or retailer that sells or supplies electronic and electrical goods in the UK via a website or mobile application must prepare for these changes. This includes online marketplaces that enable non-UK based suppliers to put their electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) on the UK market.
When the total amount of EEE available via an online marketplace is more than five tonnes annually, then a methodology must also be submitted to the environmental regulator.
When do these changes apply?
The proposed changes were announced in December 2024, but the WEEE regulations weren’t updated until 12 August 2025. However, the changes won’t apply until January 2026. This means online marketplaces and retailers won’t have to submit their methodology to their PCS until then.
How can online retailers comply with
the amended WEEE regulations?
Online retailers and marketplaces that help non-UK-based suppliers introduce their EEE products to the market will have to report their sales data from January 2026 to comply. They must register with the Environment Agency and report such sales data by their overseas sellers in the UK.
To do this, they must submit a methodology to their PCS, which shows there’s a clear process in place and the data is as accurate as possible. It should include a summary of the methodology, information about the method (sample selection and sizes), details of the technology used, supporting data, and future improvement information.
Data submitted to the Environment Agency will be used to determine the financial contribution the online marketplace or retailer must make towards the collection, processing, and recycling of WEEE. You can find more information and guidance on the UK government website.
Arrange e-waste collection
with Business Waste
At Business Waste, we can help companies of any type, size, and location in the UK manage all kinds of e-waste responsibly. This includes providing free bins to separate and store WEEE away from other materials to reduce contamination. There are no delivery or rental costs – you only pay for collection.
All e-waste is recycled where possible and disposed of away from landfill. Our experts can carry out a waste audit as well as advising on appropriate action to ensure legal compliance where relevant. Licensed waste carriers remove all e-waste, and you receive a free duty of care certificate for peace of mind.
Discover more about our WEEE collection services in the UK. If you’ve got a question or want to start with a free quote for commercial e-waste collection, then get in touch with one of our friendly and expert team members today over the phone or online – call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online.
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