MacBook Pro sold without charger in EU & UK — Apple prepares for new EU rule

Apple’s latest MacBook Pro is being sold without a power adapter for customers in the EU and the United Kingdom. The move has sparked discussion online, with some observers incorrectly claiming the EU has banned including chargers — the reality appears to be that Apple is positioning itself ahead of upcoming EU regulations.

Key points:

• Apple removed the charger from the box for EU & UK sales of the new MacBook Pro.
• The change has prompted debate about whether this was mandated by the EU — official EU rules standardize chargers but do not explicitly ban bundled adapters; Apple frames this as preparation for those rules.
• Environmental and product-standardization arguments factor into the decision, alongside logistics and cost considerations.

Background: In 2022 the European Commission adopted rules to standardize charging ports across devices (the “common charger” initiative) to reduce electronic waste and simplify consumer experience. The regulations require USB-C on many devices and set timelines for compliance; laptops are part of the broader roadmap for adoption. For more detail see the EU press release here and Apple’s MacBook Pro page here.

This move may be seen as a proactive step by Apple to align packaging and supply chains with expected regulatory changes. It also renews questions about consumer expectations: will buyers accept devices without included chargers if they already own compatible cables or prefer buying chargers separately?

Discussion: Do you think removing chargers from laptop boxes is a reasonable environmental step or an unnecessary cost shift to consumers? Share your thoughts below.