Lars Rensing, CEO of DPP Solution Provider, Protokol, discusses the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), set to be fully implemented this year.
The intricate and creative nature of furniture design and production has been celebrated for centuries. From the iconic Eames chair to a classic Chesterfield sofa, this industry’s lasting impact is vast. However, a consumer’s love and appreciation for an item, whether an oak dining table or patchwork sofa, is rarely everlasting in today’s throw-away culture. Once an item has been appreciated to its maximum or no longer fits an aesthetic it is very likely to end up in a landfill.
In fact, in the UK alone, one-third of people throw away still-functional furniture rather than selling or donating it. In total, only 17% of disposed furniture is recycled in the UK. With this in mind, it is no surprise these vast amounts of waste in this industry are adding to a collectively growing carbon footprint.
The legislative drivers reshaping our sustainable future
One major issue is the lack of accountability across all stakeholders in a product’s value chain when it comes to a piece of furniture’s end-of-life care. The manufacturing process is often viewed in isolation from what happens after the furniture enters a home or when the owner decides to replace it. Many producers see their responsibility ending once the product is made, with little consideration for its disposal or reuse.
Regulators globally are taking note of this waste crisis and implementing a range of actions to foster greater product circularity and mitigate the lasting effects the industry is having on the planet.
In particular, the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) – essentially a concept around the producer having more responsibility over more sustainable design, production, and the overall lifecycle of a product – is to be fully implemented this year after entering into force in 2023, and stands as one of the country’s moves to enhance product circularity.
As it stands in its final phase, the regulation is now focused on packaging – with businesses having to pay a fee for the packaging they supply or import into the UK market, alongside paying a fee based on the recyclability of the packaging. Furniture providers such as IKEA can already be seen to have taken note via their implementation of mushroom-based alternatives to plastic packaging – an innovative material that has supported the firm’s reduction of carbon emissions by a staggering 90%.
From a broader European perspective, these concerns over the waste produced in the furniture industry, alongside the textile, electronics, and a range of other sectors, have prompted the European Union (EU) to bring forward regulations to increase the circularity of products and support efforts towards increased sustainability – legislation which is also set to impact businesses in the UK that sell into the EU.
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), a key component of the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), is a framework set to tackle such issues by setting the design requirements of products to ensure their sustainability and circularity.
As part of the ESPR that came into force during the summer of 2024, Digital Product Passports (DPPs) will soon be mandated across all relevant sectors – including, but not limited to, the furniture sector. To note, some priority sectors may need to be compliant with the mandate from as early as 2027.
DPPs – the furniture industry’s helping hand
The EU’s incorporation of DPPs will prove essential for advancing product circularity in the EU marketplace due to their accessible nature and seamless sharing of information. In simple terms, DPPs function as secure digital records of physical products, enabling users to track data throughout each product’s lifecycle. This can include event or transactional data, as well as sustainability-related metrics like the carbon footprint of the manufacturing process.
By utilising data carriers such as QR codes or barcodes, which are attached to the item, this information becomes accessible through compatible devices, enabling informed decision-making and transparency. Subsequently, DPPs provide consumers and stakeholders across the value chain with essential insights into a product’s sustainability credentials.
Critically, DPPs can provide comprehensive insights into a product’s composition, enabling all stakeholders to make informed decisions about its end-of-life disposal. By offering clear guidance on recycling and responsible disposal, DPPs help reduce landfill waste while encouraging sustainable practices such as reuse and resale. For brands and manufacturers, this data ensures a transparent view of material use, allowing them to refine recycling initiatives like take-back schemes and make more eco-conscious packaging choices.
The detailed sustainability insights, as well as functions that aren’t necessarily mandated but can be included with a DPP – such as the ability to offer verification of product authenticity, and the ease of access to important information (such as warranty information) – provide a great opportunity to strengthen customer trust and demonstrate a brand’s commitment to sustainability while countering concerns about greenwashing.
Preparing for an era of sustainable furniture
Although the exact data expected to be included in the DPPs for each product or product group is not yet known, this guidance is expected to be published very soon via the delegated acts. Firms should therefore not wait on their DPP compliance journey as implementation is likely to be a lengthy process.
For those keen to thrive in the shifting landscape, assigning a DPP lead from the offset (someone responsible for leading the compliance journey) would be a critical first step in ensuring that someone within the business is developing a well-rounded understanding of the legislation.
As furniture businesses begin to consider how a strategy for compliance could take shape, they could start gathering data points that are most likely required and already accessible to get a headstart. For example, this could be data on waste generated during the production of a particular product. Moreover, engaging relevant internal departments and collaborating with suppliers for data collection will mean that businesses are already prioritising collaboration for an ongoing process that will be established as part of the mandate.
As part of this process, businesses that are smart about compliance will start to consider the technology providers in the market that have demonstrable expertise, and alignment to the regulation, to support DPP creation and implementation. Here, firms should ensure factors such as interoperability and security are prioritised. As each business’s needs are different, it is crucial to take your time during this step as partnering with a provider that can ensure a personal solution strategy will prove crucial.
Piloting the solution that has been put in place, on a select and small number of products, will also be a crucial phase in validating the feasibility and value of the solution. By starting this process now, furniture manufacturers can take the necessary time to refine their approach, ensuring their systems are well-tested and ready for seamless implementation once regulatory deadlines are set.
While the ESPR’s mandate for DPPs is driving a fundamental shift in production practices, its long-term impact will be transformative for the furniture industry as all firms, including UK businesses who sell in the EU marketplace, will need to comply.
By pushing all businesses that are placing products in the EU market towards more sustainable operations, this regulation ensures that companies of all sizes can contribute meaningfully to a circular economy, while prioritising a more eco-conscious future.
