{"id":1967,"date":"2026-04-02T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T05:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maexportsrl.com\/?p=1967"},"modified":"2026-09-24T12:14:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T10:14:23","slug":"reverse-logistics-consumer-goods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maexportsrl.com\/en\/reverse-logistics-consumer-goods\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond fashion: reverse logistics for consumer goods"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The issue of unsold stock<\/strong> is not limited to clothing. Small household appliances<\/strong> left sitting in warehouses, home accessories<\/strong> ordered in excess, tech items<\/strong> replaced by newer models: every year, companies operating in e-commerce and distribution have to deal with stock they don\u2019t know where to put. And the most common solution<\/strong> \u2013 namely disposal<\/strong> \u2013 is simultaneously becoming illegal<\/strong>, expensive<\/strong> and damaging<\/strong> to reputation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The true impact of unsold stock, in Italy and worldwide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s begin with the statistics, because the issue is tangible and quantifiable. According to the Delivery Index eCommerce 2024<\/a> compiled by Qapl\u00e0 based on Italian data, the average return rate for e-commerce in Italy stands at 5.9%<\/strong>, but with significant variations by category: IT<\/strong> and consumer electronics<\/strong> reach 7.9%<\/strong>, whilst for clothing<\/strong>, accessories<\/strong> and sports<\/strong> items, the figure rises to 11.3%<\/strong>. These figures, based on volumes of millions of shipments, translate into hundreds of thousands of products being returned every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Added to these are structural stock surpluses<\/strong>: unsold products resulting from errors in demand forecasting, discontinuation of product ranges and seasonal changes. The electronics<\/strong> sector is particularly affected by increasingly short product life cycles<\/strong>: when a model is replaced, it becomes difficult to place the remaining stock on primary channels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scale of the global issue<\/strong> is even more alarming. According to the United Nations\u2019 Global
E-waste Monitor 2024<\/a>, 62 million tonnes of electronic waste<\/strong> were generated worldwide in 2022<\/strong>, and this figure is forecast to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regulatory framework: pushing beyond fashion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The European regulatory framework<\/strong> is changing at a pace that many companies still underestimate. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation<\/strong> (ESPR), in force since July 2024, has introduced concrete measures against the waste of unsold products<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the European Commission announced on 9 February 2016<\/a>, between 4% and 9% of unsold textiles in Europe are destroyed every year before they are even worn<\/strong>, producing approximately 5.6 million tonnes of CO\u2082. However, from 19 July 2026<\/strong>, the ban on destroying unsold stock<\/strong> will come into force for large enterprises<\/strong> and will be extended to medium-sized enterprises<\/strong> in 2030<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the textile sector is merely the starting point. Article 25 of the ESPR explicitly provides that the European Commission may extend the ban to other categories of consumer products<\/strong> through future delegated acts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reverse logistics: from cost to opportunity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In this context, M&A Export\u2019s expertise<\/strong> also becomes strategic for consumer goods<\/strong>. Managing reverse logistics<\/strong> does not simply mean collecting goods: it means overseeing a complex evaluation<\/strong>, storage<\/strong> and relocation<\/strong> process to alternative markets, whilst ensuring that the original brand is protected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relying on an expert partner enables three simultaneous outcomes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n