Britain is about to make a big change that could affect all phones.
If new rules are introduced, they will change the way you use devices ranging from smartphones and tablets to cameras and headphones.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has opened a consultation to make the USB-C cable the common charger for all electronic devices.
Just two years after the government ruled out this option, the UK’s product safety regulator is now considering its own version of the controversial EU regulation.
This means saying goodbye to custom-made cables, but it can make buying a new device better for the environment.
Britain is about to make a major change that will affect all phones as the government’s product safety regulator considers introducing an EU-style common cable directive (stock image)
In 2022, the EU introduced the ‘Common Charger Directive’, which required all portable electronic devices to use the standard USB-C charger.
Although the law won’t come into effect until December this year, many phone manufacturers have already implemented the change.
Notably, Apple has dropped its proprietary Lightning Charger on all iPhone models since the iPhone 15 in favor of USB-C.
The same laws will also come into effect for laptops from 2026, requiring them to use the standardized USB-C charging ports already found on MacBooks.
Now the UK government’s product safety regulator is also considering the introduction of a standardized charger.
On October 9, the OPPS published an open call for evidence on the introduction of a common charger for all electrical appliances.
The agency is seeking opinions from trade associations, manufacturers, distributors and consumers on whether this would be helpful.
Introducing the consultation, the OPPS wrote: ‘Recent developments in wired charging technologies and evolving international standards provide potential opportunities to reduce e-waste and benefit consumers, although they do not require the adoption of a standardized charger for smartphones and enable similar devices.”
Since the iPhone 15 (pictured), Apple has made the USB-C charger the standard cable for all its devices, following an EU law called the Common Charger Directive.
The OPPS added that they believe the introduction of a common charger “could help businesses and bring benefits to consumers and the environment.”
One of the main appeals of the common charger initiative is that it will reduce the number of chargers consumers have to purchase.
When customers switch to a new device or companies update their designs, old chargers are simply thrown away.
According to proponents of a common charger, this means consumers end up spending more money on chargers, which ultimately end up in landfills.
In 2021, the European Commission estimated that discarded and unused chargers in the EU generate 11,000 tons of electronic waste every year.
EU rules require all devices, including laptops from 2026, to use the USB-C cable. The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has opened a consultation on making the USB-C cable the mainstream charger (stock image)
Despite the average consumer owning three cell phone chargers, the same survey shows that about 40 percent still report that they are occasionally unable to charge their device because they do not have the right cable.
At this stage the proposal is only a consultation, so the government has not yet decided whether new laws will be made.
But these consultations already mark a significant change in attitude, just two years after the government explicitly said it would not follow the EU’s lead and introduce a common charger.
If Britain were to make a common charger mandatory, it could mean big changes for consumers.
The most obvious difference would be that all phones and portable electronic devices would come equipped with a USB-C charger.
A USB-C cable can transfer both power and data, eliminating the need for separate cables for different roles.
Higher quality standardized cables can also help transfer and charging speeds increase on average.
But the UK’s decision is unlikely to change whether you end up getting a USB-C charger or not.
When the EU introduced the law, it led to many companies selling USB-C chargers or adapters (pictured) separately. The OPSS believes this could lead to further ‘unbundling’ of chargers and devices
It is extremely unlikely that international manufacturers will create different models of their devices for the British and European markets.
This means that Britain will likely receive devices that meet EU standardization requirements, whether this is mandatory in the UK or not.
An example of this effect is that tied bottle caps are now common in Britain, after being made mandatory in the EU.
The only difference is that appliances made in Britain must also match those produced abroad.
The bigger change is that phones and other devices may no longer come with charging cables as standard.
When each company offers its own unique charger design, it assumes that the consumer doesn’t already have their own cable.
This means that most devices come with a cable in the box, but standardized cables assume that the consumer should already have at least one USB-C cable.
This means that manufacturers will likely sell cables and phones separately.
In the consultation, the OPPS says it is seeking opinions on ‘decoupling the sale of a charger from the sale of the electrical/electronic device’.
The consultation does not currently discuss laptops, so it is not clear whether these will be included in the changes.
The consultation will accept evidence until midnight on December 4.
To have your say, follow this link to the OPPS website and select ‘Reply online’.