The São Paulo, Brazil state’s consumer protection agency has told Apple that it will be required to include a charging adapter with every iPhone sold in the Brazilian state.
The public agency Procon-SP askedApple in October to explain why it no longer provided charging accessories with its new iPhones.
As it had been rumored before Apple’s official iPhone announcement this year, all four models of the iPhone 12 ship without EarPods or a power adapter in the box in most countries around the world. The iPhone 11, iPhone XR, and iPhone SE also no longer include these accessories.
Apple responded with the company line, touting the environmental benefits of not including a charging adapter in the box with its iPhones (reduced carbon emissions, as well as reduced mining and use of rare-earth elements), noting that many iPhone users already have spare chargers laying around.
However, the Procon-SP didn’t buy that and in a press release on Wednesday, said the adapter was an “essential part” for the use of the iPhone, and selling the device without it is against the Brazilian Consumer Defense Code.
“It is inconsistent to sell the device unaccompanied by the charger, without reviewing the value of the product and without presenting a plan for collecting old devices, recycling etc. The chargers must be made available to consumers who order them,” says Fernando Capez, executive director of Procon-SP (Google translation)
The agency also said Apple had not sufficiently demonstrated evidence of the environmental benefits of not having a charger in the iPhone box.
Despite informing that, by removing the chargers from the box, it would reduce carbon emissions, mining and use of precious materials, the company does not demonstrate this environmental gain. In addition, there is no action on a possible application of reverse logistics for the collection of old devices and adapters for recycling and proper disposal, which would impact the protection of the environment. “When failing to sell the product without the charger, claiming carbon reduction and environmental protection, the company should present a recycling project. Procon-SP will demand that Apple present a viable plan,” adds Capez.
Apple’s removal of the charging adapter from the box will now be reviewed by the agency’s supervisory board and may result in a fine.
In addition to the state actions in São Paulo, Brazil’s federal government is also said to be looking at Apple’s selling the iPhones without the power adapter included in the box.
(Via MacRumors)