product

What does product mean?

Product looks simple, but it is a foundational term whose scope affects everything else in the glossary. Whether a source is concerned with a physical good, a product system, or a product group changes how related terms should be interpreted.

Official definitions by source

How the definitions differ

Product is a regulatory term used across ESPR and ISO 14067:2018; it generally refers to any physical goods that are placed on the market or put into service, but the exact legal scope depends on the source definition.

Regulatory context

This term originates in ISO 14067:2018 and/or ISO 14044 LCA methodology. It is used in EU product regulation — particularly under the EU Battery Regulation (PEF method for carbon footprint) and ESPR (environmental footprint) — because both regulations require lifecycle-based quantification of environmental impacts. Practitioners applying these regulations should be familiar with these LCA/PEF concepts to correctly scope, conduct, and verify product-level environmental assessments.

Practical application

This term matters when deciding what the basic object of compliance, measurement, or disclosure actually is. It influences how data is grouped, what boundaries apply, and which lifecycle stages belong to the same record.

Minespider commentary

For Minespider, product is a boundary-setting term. A good glossary should help users see that many later disagreements about footprints, passports, or obligations start with different assumptions about what counts as the product itself.

Common confusions

• Assuming the everyday meaning of product is enough without checking the official source definition.
• Treating definitions of product as fully interchangeable across ESPR and ISO 14067:2018.
• Ignoring how product connects to adjacent technical or product terms in the same regulatory framework.

Related regulations

• ESPR

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