ESPR & DPP guide
The Circular Economy and Circular Products
A circular economy is an economic model that keeps materials and products in use for as long as possible through durability, reuse, repair, remanufacturing and recycling, minimising waste and the extraction of virgin resources. A circular product is one designed for these outcomes. ESPR is a flagship instrument for embedding circularity into product design.
TL;DR
- A circular economy keeps materials and products in use as long as possible, minimising waste and virgin-resource use.
- A circular product is designed for durability, reuse, repair, remanufacturing and recycling.
- ESPR is a flagship instrument of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, embedding circularity into product design.
- The Digital Product Passport supports circularity by carrying repair, reuse and recycling information.
What the circular economy is
The circular economy contrasts with the traditional linear take-make-dispose model. Instead of discarding products at end of use, a circular economy keeps materials and value in circulation through reuse, repair, remanufacturing and recycling, cutting both waste and the need for virgin resources.
What makes a product circular
A circular product is designed from the start for the outcomes that keep it in use.
- Durability, so it lasts longer before replacement.
- Reparability, including spare-part availability and easy disassembly.
- Reusability and upgradability.
- Recycled content and high recyclability.
- Clear end-of-life information for recyclers.
How ESPR embeds circularity
ESPR is a flagship instrument of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. It turns circular design principles into binding ecodesign requirements per product group and uses the Digital Product Passport to carry the repair, reuse and recycling information that makes circularity work in practice.
It also bans the destruction of certain unsold consumer products: for large companies, unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear cannot be destroyed from 19 July 2026, with medium-sized companies following around 2030.
FAQ
Common questions
- What is a circular economy product?
- A circular economy product is one designed to keep materials and value in use as long as possible, through durability, reuse, repair, remanufacturing, recycled content and recyclability, rather than being discarded at end of use.
- How does ESPR support the circular economy?
- ESPR is a flagship instrument of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. It turns circular design principles into binding ecodesign requirements per product group and uses the Digital Product Passport to carry repair, reuse and recycling information.
- Does ESPR ban destroying unsold products?
- In part. For large companies, ESPR bans the destruction of unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear from 19 July 2026, with medium-sized companies following around 2030. Micro and small enterprises are exempt.
- How does the Digital Product Passport help circularity?
- A Digital Product Passport carries the information that repairers, reusers and recyclers need, such as composition, repair guidance and end-of-life instructions, making it easier to keep a product and its materials in use.
Put it into practice
Work through the DPP Readiness Checklist, then explore the product groups and tools built for your situation.
This is guidance, not legal advice
Sources
- [1]Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (ESPR), full text (EUR-Lex)retrieved 8 Jun 2026
- [2]EUR-Lex: official summary of the ESPRretrieved 8 Jun 2026
- [3]European Commission: 2025-2030 ESPR Working Planretrieved 8 Jun 2026
- [4]European Commission: Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodretrieved 8 Jun 2026
- [5]JRC: Digital Product Passport data-requirements methodology (JRC145830)retrieved 8 Jun 2026
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