Information for distance sellers of EEE and batteries 

This page provides compliance guidance and information for distance sellers of electrical and electronic equipment and batteries such as what is a distance seller and what are their legal obligations.  

Distance selling of EEE and/or batteries means using methods such as websites, mail order catalogues, direct marketing or telesales to sell these products. 

If you are distance selling directly to householders, then you are also a distributor of EEE and/or batteries and you must meet the legal obligations that apply to both types of sellers. These are described below. 

All distance sellers and distributors must do the following: 

• Register any premises in Ireland with the local authority or with one of the compliance schemes: WEEE Ireland or ERP Ireland. This is not applicable if you are only distance selling and do not have a premises in Ireland
• Take back WEEE and waste batteries free of charge from customers 
• Display certain information (for example on your website or catalogue) about taking back WEEE and/or waste batteries 
• Ensure that WEEE and batteries can be returned to a nominated address in Ireland, if the distance seller has no business address here 
• Display visible environmental management costs (vEMCs) in all places where the price of EEE is shown. This is to ensure that customers can see that some of the price goes to properly managing the waste in the future. To check what vEMCs are relevant to different types of EEE, see the current category listings on the Producer Register website.

A distance seller of EEE, whether or not based in Ireland, who is supplying product from abroad directly to users in Ireland is also an EEE producer and so must also meet the legal obligations that apply to EEE producers. Find out more about the legal obligations of EEE producers. 

If you are an EEE producer, based outside Ireland, and are distance selling product directly to users in Ireland then you have to appoint an authorised representative in Ireland. Get more information about authorised representatives.

A distance seller of batteries, operating and placing batteries on the market within Ireland for the first time, is also a battery producer. Find out more about the legal obligations of battery producers.

Useful sources of information

For more information, read the guidance for distance sellers of EEE and batteries

Find out more about the legal obligations of distributors

Find out who is responsible for doing what under the legislation by downloading the booklet: Who does what - WEEE and battery regulations