Common charger for electrical devices: call for evidence
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
The Common Charger Call for Evidence received 104 substantive responses from consumer groups, manufacturers, charities, retailers, trade associations and members of the public. Overall, 86% of respondents said that, if regulations were introduced in Great Britain, they should align with the requirements applying in the EU and Northern Ireland to avoid the costs of unnecessary divergence. However, 35% considered regulation unnecessary because USB-C has already become the industry default, while concerns were also raised about additional burdens on businesses, constraints on innovation and the potential impact on the refurbished technology market. Accordingly, the Government does not intend to introduce common charger regulations in Great Britain at this time. Continued recognition of CE marking will support trade and market alignment, while the Government will keep technological and regulatory developments under review and reconsider its position if necessary.
Original call for evidence
Call for evidence description
Recent developments in wired charging technologies and evolving international standards provide potential opportunities to reduce electronic waste and benefit consumers through enabling the adoption of a standardised charger for smartphones and similar devices. The European Union has adopted (EU) 2022/2380 – the ‘Common Charger Directive’ which will require the use of USB-C based chargers for mobile phones and other portable electrical/electronic devices placed on the EU market from December 2024.
We consider that it would potentially help businesses and deliver consumer and environmental benefits if we were to introduce standardised requirements for chargers for certain portable electrical/electronic devices across the whole UK. We are seeking views from manufacturers, importers, distributors, and trade associations as to whether it would be helpful to do so and, if so, whether this should be based on USB-C – as adopted by the EU. We also want to hear about the issues and practicalities a similar approach may involve.
The aim of this call for evidence is to help us understand the potential impacts of introducing these measures. The responses we receive will inform our final position and the detail of any potential secondary legislation.
This call for evidence seeks views on the following:
- The potential benefits and costs of introducing these measures
-
The issues and practicalities of the requirements for:
- a common charger based on USB-C
- harmonised fast charging
- unbundling the sale of a charger from the sale of the electrical/electronic device
- additional labelling and information requirements
We are keen to hear from the following:
- Trade Associations
- Manufacturers
- Distributors
- Consumers