Which of the following is a waste caused by unnecessary storage of products?

The choice of inventory accurately represents a waste caused by unnecessary storage of products. In Lean Six Sigma, inventory refers to the excess products that are kept on hand beyond what is immediately needed for production or customer demand. This excess storage ties up capital, increases holding costs, and can lead to other issues such as obsolescence, damage, or increased complexity in managing the inventory.

When products are stored unnecessarily, they consume space and resources without adding value, making it a type of waste that organizations strive to minimize. Efficient inventory management aims to align stock levels closely with actual demand to reduce this waste.

The other options listed do not directly relate to wasted storage. Motion refers to unnecessary movement of people or machines that does not add value; transport deals with the unnecessary movement of goods; and defects relate to the errors or flaws in products that require rework or scrap. Each of these is a different type of waste that Lean Six Sigma seeks to eliminate, but only inventory specifically addresses the consequences of excess storage.