Why not? Let's exclude chargers from all tech products moving forward.
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EU Didn't Stop Apple From Including Charger With M5 MacBook Pro
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In for a penny, in for a pound.
Apple was required to offer the choice of charger or not in the EU. Apple didn't like giving their customers a choice so chose for them. No adaptor for U!
I just purchased a 140w charger from Anker. I do have quite a number of their chargers lying around the house and at my workplace. I live in a country where a Macbook would come with a bundled charger, and even if Apple were to remove it in the near future, it's a non-issue for me.
Anker 140W USB-C Charger, 4-Port Multi-Device Fast Charging Laptop Charger, Advanced GaN Power Adapter, Intuitive Touch Controls, for MacBook, iPhone, Samsung, Pixel, and More (Silver)
Enjoy the convenience of powering four devices simultaneously with our advanced GaN technology for optimal performance.www.amazon.sg
I feel that a lot of the problem (for me) stems from the fact that Apple-bundled chargers typically pale in comparison to what is available elsewhere. Third party chargers are typically cheaper (especially since Anker periodically discounts their products), sport better charging speeds and come with multiple ports. So yeah, include one, don't include one, I don't think I will be using Apple's charging bricks either way.
Apple knows you will buy the device regardless and a charger is not a dealbreaker. You’ll enjoy the device and forget all about the charger not being included. It’s a middle finger to the consumers because they can. They’re still bitter from the transition from lightning and the money they raked in from licensing. Not surprising at all. They’re using recycled canvas bags and calling it tech woven.
I quite like the chunky 140w charging brick that came with my MBP, and I’m glad they brought the MagSafe dongle back. They best not take that away in the US.
This MacRumors article is adding to the confusion.
"prompting online confusion that the change was mandated by EU law — a claim that is incorrect."
Saying this is misleading.
"The law 'ensures that consumers will be able to purchase new electronic devices without having to obtain a new charger each time,' but it does not prevent manufacturers from supplying one."
So which is it? No law mandating a change or a law mandating a change?
The article’s facts are largely correct, but its structure is sloppy. It should have explicitly clarified these three situations:
Here are the facts.
Those comments are further surprising (or not -- because it shows people didn't read the article) because it was pointed out in the article that Apple also dropped the base price of the M5 MacBook Pro by 100 Euro relative to the M4, which more than makes up for the cost of a charger [I have not checked every EU country but I know the price dropped in Germany and France].
Now, this doesn't explain note including a charger in the UK. So for this MacRumors article to be correct, it should only focus on the UK or be edited to fix the misleading title, structure, and discussion. I have ideas about why Apple didn't include a charger in the UK but I will not speculate here.
"prompting online confusion that the change was mandated by EU law — a claim that is incorrect."
Saying this is misleading.
"The law 'ensures that consumers will be able to purchase new electronic devices without having to obtain a new charger each time,' but it does not prevent manufacturers from supplying one."
So which is it? No law mandating a change or a law mandating a change?
The article’s facts are largely correct, but its structure is sloppy. It should have explicitly clarified these three situations:
- What the EU law requires.
- What it allows.
- What Apple chose to do.
Here are the facts.
- For laptops, the Common Charger Directive applies from April 28, 2026. It requires that consumers must be able to buy a device without a bundled charger (the “unbundling” option). It does not forbid including one.
- Companies like Apple can meet the rule in multiple ways (e.g., separate SKUs with/without chargers, or a single default without a charger plus an option to add one at checkout).
- In the EU, the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro is sold without an adapter by default, with the adapter offered as an add-on at checkout—this satisfies the EU “unbundled option” rule, but going adapter-free as the only default box goes beyond the legal minimum. That's Apple's business decision but it was tied to the EU regulation.
Those comments are further surprising (or not -- because it shows people didn't read the article) because it was pointed out in the article that Apple also dropped the base price of the M5 MacBook Pro by 100 Euro relative to the M4, which more than makes up for the cost of a charger [I have not checked every EU country but I know the price dropped in Germany and France].
Now, this doesn't explain note including a charger in the UK. So for this MacRumors article to be correct, it should only focus on the UK or be edited to fix the misleading title, structure, and discussion. I have ideas about why Apple didn't include a charger in the UK but I will not speculate here.
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Apple prices in the EU have historically been adjusted to the conversion rate between the US Dollar and the Euro at the time the new product is launched. For example, the Airpods Pro 3 also have a lower launch price than the Airpods Pro 2 in many EU countries. The exchange rate between the US Dollar and the UK Pound probably fluctuated less.
In other words, the new devices being cheaper now that they do not include a charger is likely a happy coincidence.
It is a disappointing move by Apple as it is one thing to leave a charger out of the iPhone box as low power USB chargers / wireless charging in your car are pretty common.
A laptop charger that has a decent power output is less common. In addition you probably can't use your old MacBook charger as generally speaking most people pass the older device on to someone else or sell it / part exchange it, this usually means the charger as well.
This is just going to annoy customers that buy the product on line or from a third party retailer and may not realise that it does not come with a charger. Then when it arrives they can't do anything with it until they get the charger.
Its like buying a house and selling the front door key as an add on.
As far as SKU control they do what they do with the Apple Watches where the watch and strap are in separate boxes, have a smaller box for the laptop and have a small box for the charger, which Apple could offer for free, and customers can choose to take or not. Apple always ship the product in a plain outer carton anyway so this be for the laptop and charger.
A laptop charger that has a decent power output is less common. In addition you probably can't use your old MacBook charger as generally speaking most people pass the older device on to someone else or sell it / part exchange it, this usually means the charger as well.
This is just going to annoy customers that buy the product on line or from a third party retailer and may not realise that it does not come with a charger. Then when it arrives they can't do anything with it until they get the charger.
Its like buying a house and selling the front door key as an add on.
As far as SKU control they do what they do with the Apple Watches where the watch and strap are in separate boxes, have a smaller box for the laptop and have a small box for the charger, which Apple could offer for free, and customers can choose to take or not. Apple always ship the product in a plain outer carton anyway so this be for the laptop and charger.
You know what? Game. Nobody gets any chargers. BYOC. Gotta commit to the bit, Tim.
The Apple ones are always super bulky anyways.
This is embarrassing... I'm at the point of wondering where my brand loyalty is... This is not the Apple I bought into 15 years ago and it is not the Apple I feel like staying with, should the direction of travel not differ from the current route.
How is this affecting EU customers negatively? What am I defending here, the fact that customers who don't need the charger can save money? When you go through the order process Apple tells you there is no power supply included and once you add the Macbook to the cart it prompts you to add a charger and Applecare. They make it very clear and don't hide this.
Some customers will pay the same amount as previously and get the charger and the rest will pay less and not get the charger. I fail to see what's bad about it.
Was this article written by an EU regulator?
These two statements are not at odds. Apple doesn't sell a USB-C charging-only cable and is otherwise compelled to include one. Selling and shipping boxes with/without chargers and cables for each potential configuration is a logistical problem, and also creates additional paper waste due to required different boxes for each.
Yes, Apple chose to not sell it with one at all, but this choice was made due to the regulation.
Who doesn't have a USB-C charger in Europe at this point? WAsn't that the whole point of their requirement in the first place? Are you/the EU admitting their directives don't actually do anything but harm consumers in the end?
These two statements are not at odds. Apple doesn't sell a USB-C charging-only cable and is otherwise compelled to include one. Selling and shipping boxes with/without chargers and cables for each potential configuration is a logistical problem, and also creates additional paper waste due to required different boxes for each.
Yes, Apple chose to not sell it with one at all, but this choice was made due to the regulation.
Who doesn't have a USB-C charger in Europe at this point? WAsn't that the whole point of their requirement in the first place? Are you/the EU admitting their directives don't actually do anything but harm consumers in the end?
Which countries in the EU did not see a price reduction for the base M5 relative to the base M4?
Well, the Euro vs dollar value balance is changing rapidly to the Euro being the stronger. Trump is happy and it seems the Eurozone got "cheaper" Macs as well. All are happy
I know that they didn't change in the UK. I'm just wondering where the other commenter has seen EU prices that are not lower, or if that commenter is just making a claim without evidence.
This is what happened.
ATP covered it on their podcast.
It's basically malicious compliance from Apple.
I wish people who vociferously defend Apple at every turn would hold them to account when they are choosing compliance methods that are bad for consumers.
Well Apple’s been under Tim’s stewardship for
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Its not unreasonable for them to not want to double their SKU’s (eg when one sells more than predicted and you have a shortage…)
If they wanted to be nice about it though, they could have included a coupon for a free charger.
If they wanted to be nice about it though, they could have included a coupon for a free charger.
My Macbook Air M2 60W Charger is essentially new, i did not use it more than 0,x% because:
A: I had it mostly connected to my Monitor via USB-C and it got charged there.
B: I have a Multi 300W Charger on my Desk with 3 USB-C and 4 USB-A Ports and 2 Max 90 Watt Ports.
If you do not need a Special 240W Charging USB Brick i could not care less.
They'd need to not have a single USB-C charger at home. Even my tiny old smartphone charger that provides mere 1A at 9V for a total of 9W power allows me to power my M4 Macbook Pro and even charge it slowly over night. And that's the very worst USB-C charger I got from some old Google Nexus phone. It's probably a full 10 years old by now.
Worst case they gotta wait until Amazon delivers them a charger a day or two later. That's what happens when you spend nearly 2 grand or even more on a new laptop and don't check what you are purchasing. To be honest I wouldn't either but that's because it's no big deal. My new iPad didn't come with a charger either which surprised me as the previous ones all had one but I wouldn't have used it either way.
The Euro has strengthened significantly against the USD (and most other currencies) over the past year. The cheaper MacBook Pro M5 is due to the improved exchange rate, not the omission of the charger.