WEEE – Research to identify and address gaps in existing WEEE data relevant to the ongoing policy review

Tender description

Defra is considering imposing new financial obligations on online marketplaces and fulfilment houses since they play such a significant role in the marketing and supply of equipment – often on behalf of overseas sellers. Significant amounts of equipment are sold via Online Marketplaces and this amount is set to increase, with the coronavirus pandemic further accelerating the trend towards online shopping. This significant growth can be attributed to the fact that leading distributors and retailers have expanded their internet presence in recent years as well as overseas players using the internet to access the UK market, Transactional websites, and the move towards ‘omni-channel’ services are commonplace. A significant proportion of this equipment will contain batteries and, of course, batteries can also be purchased directly through online marketplaces. Under the WEEE Regulations, a producer is defined as a business who places equipment on the UK market and is either: • manufactured and sold EEE under your own brand in the UK; • resold equipment made by someone else under your own brand (if a company’s own brand appears exclusively on the equipment, they are the producer); • imported equipment on a commercial basis to the UK ; • established outside of the UK and supply directly to the UK market by distance selling (for example, online, mail order or by phone). Aim of the research To gather quantitative evidence needed for the Impact Assessment about; 1. New obligation in which online marketplaces take on new “producer obligations” 2. Strengthen retailer/seller/ (internet sellers) obligations (take-back) and re-use 3. New obligation in which producers finance the cost of bulky waste collections currently undertaken by local authorities