For a reaction to be classified as endothermic, it must absorb energy from its surroundings. This typically means that the total energy required to break the bonds in the reactants is greater than the energy released when new bonds form in the products. Therefore, the correct statement is:
More energy is needed to form the bonds on the product side than to form the bonds on the reactant side.
This statement reflects the essential characteristic of an endothermic reaction, where the energy input exceeds the energy output.