Brazil stops iPhone sales until Apple includes an AC charger

Brazil's Ministry of Justice has fined Apple $2.3 million and halted iPhone 13 sales until the company once again includes a charger in the box.

Apple stopped including a charger or EarPods in iPhone packages starting with the iPhone 12 in October 2020, saying that the move was better for the environment. This change was to help Apple reach its goal of a 100% carbon neutral footprint by 2030.

Brazil has been against that move from the start, and the iPhone 13 is no exception.

"Application of a fine penalty in the amount of R$ 12,274,500 (twelve million two hundred and seventy-four thousand five hundred reais), revocation of registration of iPhone brand smartphones introduced to the market from the iPhone 12 model and immediate suspension of the supply of all iPhone brand smartphones, regardless of the model or generation, unaccompanied by the battery charger," according to the order published in the Official Gazette of the Union.

The Ministry of Justice won't immediately apply the fine. It will move forward if it suspects that Apple has attempted to circumvent the sales ban — and the iPhone 14 isn't expected to include one.

Brazil levied a similar fine against Apple in 2021 from the consumer protection regulator Procon-SP. At that time, the fine of R$10,546,442 ($1.9 million) was imposed along with accusations of false advertising. The agency alleged that Apple sold devices with factory defects and failed to repair devices under warranty.

At the time, Apple failed to convince the regulator of its argument that not including a charger in the iPhone box was better for the environment, and that most consumers already had a charger.

Apple was ultimately forced to include chargers with iPhone 12 packages sold in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo.

35 Comments

hackintoisier 86 comments · 5 Years

About 2 years ago

Why not just include a charger in the purchase for those who request one, and for others who don’t need one, no charger required.

mccargos 13 comments · 8 Years

Apple took the charger out of the box for the iPhone 12 if Brazil had an issue with this why are we doing it now and not for the first time they took the charger out of the box

wood1208 2932 comments · 10 Years

Price for Brazil iPhone by default includes charger. If someone don't want it than give deduction/rebate for charger in final price on invoice.

Calamander 99 comments · 3 Years

Brazil put a price on wokeness, good.

Apple is so concerned about the environment they don't include a charger or earphones in their $1,000+ devices.

At the same time, they make products that can't be repaired and need to be replaced wholesale. Example my XS face ID crystal broke, turns out, that cannot be fixed or replaced. At all. Not by Apple or anyone else. Either you use the phone without, or you throw it away.

What @wood said is a simple solution but Apple won't do that because they're hypocrites. Apple used to be a good company under Steve Jobs - at that time, critics were saying the same thing. Back then they were not right. Today they are.

I also don't think the environment argument has merit - let's say Apple ships 1000x less chargers, OK, fair enough, but people are going to buy 100x more 3rd party chargers, most of which are way more polluting than what Apple is making in its closely monitored factores, and some of these 3rd party chargers will destroy the iPhones, leading to more waste. i think in the end nothing will have been saved. Except the carbon neutral rating, congratulations, hypocrites!

wood1208 said:

omasou 633 comments · 7 Years

Calamander said:

Brazil put a price on wokeness, good.

Apple is so concerned about the environment they don't include a charger or earphones in their $1,000+ devices.
At the same time, they make products that can't be repaired and need to be replaced wholesale. Example my XS face ID crystal broke, turns out, that cannot be fixed or replaced. At all. Not by Apple or anyone else. Either you use the phone without, or you throw it away.

What @wood said is a simple solution but Apple won't do that because they're hypocrites. Apple used to be a good company under Steve Jobs - at that time, critics were saying the same thing. Back then they were not right. Today they are.

I also don't think the environment argument has merit - let's say Apple ships 1000x less chargers, OK, fair enough, but people are going to buy 100x more 3rd party chargers, most of which are way more polluting than what Apple is making in its closely monitored factores, and some of these 3rd party chargers will destroy the iPhones, leading to more waste. i think in the end nothing will have been saved. Except the carbon neutral rating, congratulations, hypocrites!

wood1208 said:

Price for Brazil iPhone by default includes charger. If someone don't want it than give deduction/rebate for charger in final price on invoice.

You can always switch to Android. Perhaps the grass is greener over there /s