In-store take-back obligation: Ecomaison can help you set up a collection system for used toys and inform your customers.
Since January 1, 2023, all retailers specializing in the sale of toys have been obliged to offer a collection solution for used toys, and to inform their customers accordingly. Ecomaison, the multi-channel, multi-material eco-organization responsible for the collection, sorting, reuse and recycling of used household products, can help you achieve compliance.
Step 1: Everything you need to know about your obligations
When does the obligation begin and am I affected?
Since January 1, 2023, all physical and distance-selling retailers have been required to offer a take-back solution for used toys, free of charge and with no purchase conditions for their customers.
What are the information requirements?
The seller must inform the consumer of the trade-in conditions before the purchase, whether made in a store or online.
Which products are eligible for trade-in?
These include toys, outdoor games, board games and gift toys.
The product taken back must simply be equivalent to those sold in your store, regardless of brand.
Please note: battery-operated toys and games are not collected by Ecomaison. Similarly, childcare articles and sports and leisure products are not collected by Ecomaison, and should therefore not be placed in the toy bin.
Step 2: Find out what's in it for your customers
What recovery solutions are available for your customers?
Ecomaison organizes the collection of used toys, providing you with a pre-collection terminal and a communication kit.
Customers are informed in-store of all toy take-back options. They can drop off their used items in three different ways:
- in-store, using the collection point provided by Ecomaison ;
- local collection points: as a distributor, you must inform your customers of the location of the nearest partner collection point;
- at the point of delivery: the take-back is organized at the point of delivery of the new product purchased (at home, at the foot of the building, at a relay point, etc.) or at a local collection point.
What communication tools can you use to keep your customers informed?
You have a collection point at your disposal, and Ecomaison can send you, on request, a communication kit consisting of two posters, a totem and a salesperson's memo on toy trade-in.
You can also download from the Ecomaison website, in the Resource Center, a digital kit consisting of texts on trade-in, FAQs and suggested posts for your social networks.
Step 3: Find out which criteria apply to you
What are the criteria for taking back used toys?
The 1 for 1 trade-in:
- If your toy sales area is between 200 and 400 m2.
- If you're in the distance-selling business and your annual toy sales are €100,000 or more, excluding VAT.
- So you need to offer your customers the possibility of taking back a used toy equivalent to a product bought new in your store.
The 1 for 0 recovery:
- If your toy sales area is between 400 and 1,000 m2, you can take back all used
toys measuring less than 160 cm, free of charge and with no obligation to buy. - If your toy sales area exceeds 1,000 m2, then the trade-in applies to all toys, without conditions.
What happens to the toys we collect?
Thanks to this collection system, toys taken back from stores are sorted according to their condition. If they can be reused, they are entrusted to a Social and Solidarity Economy organization. As for the most damaged toys, they are recycled and transformed into raw materials (wood, scrap metal, plastic, foam, etc.).