On 6 May in Brussels, EuroCommerce and the EuCER Council hosted Consumer Electronics Retail Day 2025, focused on “Completing the Circular Economy: Boosting WEEE Collection and Repair in Retail.”
The event gathered policymakers, retailers, and industry experts to explore how retail can strengthen WEEE collection and repair, supporting Europe’s circular economy transition.
Speakers, including Christel Delberghe, Anton Delbarre, and Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, highlighted the importance of policy clarity, fair cost-sharing, and extended producer responsibility. Hans Carpels and Pascal Leroy underlined the need for better infrastructure and support to empower retailers as local repair hubs.
Case studies and a panel discussion featuring voices from Euronics, Unieuro, Aires, Expert International, and FECE reinforced key messages:
- Retailers are critical players in building a circular economy and must be involved in policy shaping.
- Legislative clarity and harmonisation are needed across Europe to enable efficient WEEE collection and repair.
- Financial incentives and compensation schemes are essential for engaging retailers in sustainable practices.
- Better consumer awareness, infrastructure, and fair competition are all key to making repair and collection viable at scale.
Retail and wholesale can be a strong ally for the EU in achieving its climate and circularity ambitions. Our sector is present in every community and holds a unique position in the value chain between suppliers and consumers. With the right regulatory and legal conditions in place, we can play a major role in deploying circular business models — especially in the repair and reuse of products.
You can find the event photos here, and the LinkedIn post about the event here.
