Overview

The ESPR is a regulatory framework that facilitates the consideration of a product's environmental impact through ‘ecodesign requirements’ within the areas of product information and performance for the European Union (EU). It is an extension of the EU Green New Deal, which replaces the 200 Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC, expanding the scope across industries. The ESPR moves beyond energy-related to a product-wide-related scope. It establishes a framework for ecodesign requirements for specific product categories.

Target

Any brand, lab, supplier, or retailer operating in the EU or looking to place products in the EU market.

Intended Impact

Reduce products' environmental impact and synergize the circular economy legislation and action plans that comprise part of the EU Green Deal.

Implication for Heath&Beauty Industry

The ESPR poses transformative implications for the health and beauty industry by requiring brands to rethink product design and production processes across complex value chains. The framework will set horizontal rules for product groups with common characteristics.

This impacts the cosmetics industry by promoting sustainability across multiple product design and lifecycle aspects. This includes improving product durability, reusability, upgradability, and reparability while enhancing the ease of product maintenance and refurbishment. The regulation encourages making products more energy- and resource-efficient and addresses the substances hindering circularity. It also aims to increase recycled content, make products easier to remanufacture and recycle, and set clear rules on carbon and environmental footprints. The ESPR also seeks to limit waste generation and improve the availability of information regarding product sustainability, ensuring that both consumers and manufacturers can make more informed and responsible choices.

Timeline

How to Prepare

Product Impact Baseline:

• Start tracking your products' environmental impact through Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). Fairglow helps review and identify areas for improvement across 16 environmental impact categories.

Implement Impact Reduction:

• To align with eco-design principles, eliminate microplastics and other non-biodegradable materials from formulations.
• Reformulate products to include sustainably sourced and biodegradable ingredients.
• Use concentrated formulas to reduce the need for excessive packaging.
• Package sustainability with compostable films, bio-based or recycled plastics, and biodegradable options, reducing packaging volume and weight.

Collaborate with Supply Chain Partners