To cut waste and extend the lifespan of commercial products for the benefit of consumers, the European Union is demanding product manufacturers to offer repairs for their products, even if they are already beyond the sales guarantee.
Under the new rules, companies are obliged to repair their products between five and ten years after the sale—regardless of whether the product’s legal guarantee remains valid.
They also demand defective product repairs for free within the two-year guarantee period. That is, meeting the requirement that the repair cost is either cheaper or equal in value to the product’s replacement. Beyond this period, tech makers must still offer repairs, whether for free or with a charge.
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Per EU law, products that fit the bill or are goods considered “repairable” include washing machines, vacuums, fridges, televisions, et cetera. Meanwhile, there is also interest in extending the measure’s validity to intelligent gadgets like tablets and smartphones.
Due to the proliferation of household appliances and everyday gadgets, Europe has become a vicious case of piling waste because products are thrown out altogether instead of getting their parts recycled or reused.
A 2020 survey at the behest of Germany’s Environment Agency revealed that the “first-use” longevity for products has significantly declined in recent years, partly because some are built not to be easily repaired while others are more cost-efficient to be replaced. Alternatively, it also found that some consumers replace their still-working products because of wanting the newer version.
Source: Reuters