trade
Consumer advocates want the right to repairs as quickly as possible
Repair of a cell phone in the Komsa AG workshop. Consumer advocates are calling on the federal government to initiate the planned right to repair by mid-March. Photo: Sebastian Willnow / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Whether it is a dishwasher, refrigerator or tablet – repairs are often hardly worthwhile. Consumer advocates are now putting pressure on the federal government to keep its promise and change that.
Cell phone batteries cannot be changed, and TV repairs are more expensive than a new one – consumer advocates believe that this must change quickly.
The Federation of German Consumer Organizations has called on the new federal government to implement the planned right to repairs as quickly as possible. “We would have liked to get that on the way within the first hundred days,” said association boss Klaus Müller of the German press agency. That would be mid-March 2022.
The sustainability of household appliances and electronic products must be significantly better, emphasized Müller. “A lot of people get annoyed because something breaks and then you have to throw it away. That’s bad for your wallet and you don’t have a good ecological conscience. “
“Repair instead of throwing it away”
A new ecodesign directive with the principle of “repair instead of throwing away” has been in force in the EU since March 2021. Manufacturers of washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and other large household appliances must ensure that replacement parts are available for seven to ten years. It is primarily about small parts such as seals or dishwasher spray arms. In addition, the products must be built in such a way that they can be disassembled with conventional tools without breaking anything.
The aim is to reduce the huge mountain of electronic waste that accumulates every year in Europe. Statistically speaking, every German produces more than ten kilos of electronic waste a year. According to the latest data from the Federal Statistical Office, a total of 853,000 devices were thrown away in 2018. According to the European Parliament, only 42 percent of the electronic waste generated in the EU is recycled.
For consumer advocates and the new traffic light coalition, the applicable requirements are therefore not sufficient. The SPD, the Greens and the FDP want to enforce the right to repair even smaller devices such as cell phones and laptops at EU level. In addition, the warranty period is to be longer, during which consumers can send in their defective device and have it repaired free of charge. According to the coalition agreement, manufacturers should also publish repair instructions so that defective components such as cell phone batteries can be replaced by yourself.
“Far too often a product is not repaired, but simply replaced by a new one,” said Consumer Protection Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) when she took office in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. The simplest repairs failed because devices were glued or provided with special screws. “Changing that is socially and ecologically beneficial.”
The consumer advice centers are not only demanding that the federal government campaign for reform at EU level, but also that it take action itself. The value added tax on certain repairs should be lowered so that they are more worthwhile, demands the Federation of German Consumer Organizations.
Repair index for more transparency
In addition, a so-called repair index should be introduced, with which it can be seen at a glance on the packaging how well a product can be repaired. Without information about repair costs and shelf life, consumers would find it difficult to choose the sustainable option, argue consumer advocates.
According to a Kantar survey on behalf of the Federation of German Consumer Organizations, consumers expect not only that a device will last a long time, but also that spare parts will be available over the long term, that the repair costs are reasonable and that the repair is technically easy to do.
German industry is open to a repair index and also to a right to repair. However, it must be adapted to the respective products, explained the deputy chief executive of the industry association BDI, Holger Lösch. In the case of large household appliances, it could make more ecological sense to buy new, energy-efficient products than to repair old ones. An EU-wide regulation and the avoidance of special national rules are important.