Take back for consumers
The WEEE Regulations require all retailers and distributors of electrical and electronic products to domestic consumers to provide free take-back instore to enable consumers to return their WEEE, when making a like for like purchase of new equipment.
Distance sellers based in the UK, such as internet sellers, who do not sell through retail premises, will be expected to offer an alternative free take back service in lieu of in-store take-back, or to join a retailer / distributor compliance scheme.
This means that, from August 2005, consumers will have the right to take back their old product free of charge when going to a shop to buy a new like for like product.
The consumer can also expect you to arrange the take back of the old item from their premises if you deliver the new item.
Take back does not necessarily have to occur simultaneously with the new purchase.
“Like for like” is understood to mean equipment that is of equivalent type or fulfils the same function. This means a customer might expect to be able to take back an old personal compact disc player when buying a new one. It also implies that an old cassette player could be returned when a compact disc player is being purchased, because both are used
for the function of playing recorded music and sound.
All costs incurred in providing the take back scheme are at your expense.
The WEEE Regulations provide retailers with a choice of compliance route for discharging this take-back obligation. Retailers and other distributors of electrical and electronic equipment are expected to offer “direct” take-back services as outlined above, from 13 August 2005; or alternatively, “indirectly” to show participation in a compliance scheme which would offer WEEE take-back services to consumers. A retailer compliance scheme or schemes would be subject to approval by the Government.
Please view the Collection and Storage of WEEE for further information.
Q. I have a shop and I sell a limited number of small electrical goods. Do the Regulations affect me ?
Yes. You have to meet the retailer take-back obligation. You can do this directly by taking items back in-store or you could join an approved retailer compliance scheme.
The Government recognises the particular circumstances of small retailers like local corner shops, newsagents and neighbourhood pharmacies, which do not specialise in electrical / electronic equipment.
It expects that a compliance scheme should offer favourable terms for the participation of such retailers. If, however, you opt to meet your take-back obligation by offering take-back, you will need to deliver the products you have taken back to a designated collection facility for separate collection of WEEE. You will also have an obligation to make available information on WEEE collection facilities to your customers.