Reshaping Consumer Powers and Responsibilities in the European Union’s Transition to a Sustainable Circular Economy

Abstract

The chapter examines the consequences of the EU’s paradigm shift towards a Sustainable Circular Economy (SCE) on the relationship between consumers and businesses in the context of the EU Single Market. First, this study argues that the EU is recalibrating consumer protection rules to empower consumers to make (even more) informed and sustainable decisions, aligned with the EU’s climate and environmental objectives. However, it is emphasized that information alone is insufficient to enable consumers to make sustainable choices, especially considering issues such as information overload and insufficient literacy on complex environmental data. Therefore, the chapter further explores the crucial role of consumer education, which is necessary for ensuring that consumers can understand and apply sustainability-related information in their decision-making. The chapter then introduces new consumer rights within the SCE, specifically the right to product longevity and the right to product repairability. Brand new EU laws ensures that goods are designed to last longer, reducing the need for frequent replacements and minimizing waste. Similarly, they address planned obsolescence by requiring manufacturers to provide consumers with access to repair tools, parts, and information, allowing products to be maintained and used for a longer period. Ultimately, this study proposes an integrated vision of how EU reforms can facilitate a transition toward a more sustainable, equitable, and responsible economic model. However, it also argues that the effectiveness of such transition can be undermined by critical gaps—namely, the absence of a legal framework for returning non-sustainable products and the inherent tension between expansive consumer rights and their environmental impact.