Online marketplaces are now legally required to report all household electrical goods sold by non-UK suppliers under updated Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations.
The new rules, which passed in June as a Statutory Instrument and came into effect on 12 August 2025, also mean that platforms will now share the responsibility for funding recycling.
Their contribution will be phased in, with partial costs starting in 2026 and full costs applying from 2027.
Until now, UK retailers and manufacturers have carried the full cost of recycling discarded electronics.
Defra confirmed that the reforms will ensure that “manufacturers and importers do not unduly bear the cost burden of managing waste they did not create – making the system fairer for British businesses”.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh added: “We are committed to moving towards a circular economy in which we keep electricals from laptops to toasters in use for longer".
“Ensuring online marketplaces pay their share for managing the cost of the electrical waste they generate will increase recycling and level the playing field for UK-based retailers.”
Vapes Recognised As A New WEEE Category
The reforms also introduce a dedicated WEEE category for vapes, ensuring producers fund their collection and proper treatment.
Scott Butler, Executive Director at Material Focus, said: “We welcome the new vape category announced today, which provides a further opportunity to tighten up the environmental enforcement of vapes.
“By understanding how many vapes are being sold, Defra can set targets to ensure that vape producers make their fair contribution to the costs of recycling these products.”
This follows the single-use vape ban, which came into effect in June 2025, requiring all vapes on the UK market to be rechargeable and refillable.
Retailers are required to provide a take-back scheme for single-use products as part of the ban.
