The repairability of tech products, new European pride

• The European Commission wants to improve the repairability of tech products to meet its carbon neutrality objectives in 2050
• Concrete measures to strengthen local repairs are proposed
• France did not wait for the European Union and launched its repair bonus at the end of 2022

It is no longer a question of waiting. The European Commission presented this Wednesday, March 22, new measures aimed at strengthening the right to repair. The idea is to reduce electronic waste, which is a real environmental scourge, and thus be able to achieve carbon neutrality on an EU scale by 2050.

Among the devices concerned by these measures, we find in particular washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, servers and data centers. As for smartphones and tablets, they will soon be added to the list.

A new platform

So what is this new European Commission plan all about? In concrete terms, consumers will have a right of complaint to manufacturers to demand the repair of their device. Moreover, the latter will be required to provide them with an interlocutor to do this.

Similarly, an information platform will be created to put customers in touch with repairers and refurbished sellers in their region. The EU promises that it will be possible to compare offered prices and quality standards for a clearer view and informed choice. We also note that a European quality standard for repairers will be put in place to help consumers make up their minds.

It will be necessary to follow the legislative progress of this text to see what is finally voted. Anyway, the measures are going in the right direction. It is also positive because we know that the EU often plays a leading role in terms of regulation, and that other regions of the world then follow suit.

The repair bonus launched in France

For its part, France did not wait for this plan to decide to act. Since December 15, the repair bonus has been activated. Consumers can thus go to labeled repair points to benefit from this system.

The first results are generally encouraging. According to data from last February, Compagnie du SAV, one of the largest players in the repair sector, has recorded an increase of almost 40% in requests since the launch, and the organization noted that the increase in the demand is constant every week. Customers can discount a bonus of between 15 and 45 euros depending on the device.