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Resource-efficient products

Many products, especially electric devices, do not last as long as they used to, which is an annoyance for consumers. At the same time, however, it is also a development that runs counter to recognised socio-political goals, namely mitigating climate change and protecting limited resources.

Extending the length of legal guarantees and shifting the burden of proof would reduce the risk of consumers investing their money in substandard products. Consumers also need information that makes it easier for them to assess the lifespan of products. An important instrument to achieve this is the EU Ecodesign Directive, which introduced thresholds for the energy consumption of electrical appliances as early as 2005. The result: new products on the market are more energy-efficient, use less water and thus save money. In future, resource efficiency is also to play a greater role. This means that products should become more durable, repairable and recyclable, as well as upgradeable.

It was relaunched in 2024 as the Ecodesign Regulation for sustainable products and now sets out the framework conditions for future regulations in such a way that durability and reparability will play an important role for all products. The introduction of a digital product passport for (almost) all product groups was also decided via the Ecodesign Regulation. The information that will be shown there should enable convenient and simple decisions to be made throughout the entire life cycle of the product to ensure its long-term use.

The aim is to make new products on the market more durable, easier to repair and recyclable, thereby preserving the environment and your wallet. It also strengthens the security of supply throughout Europe.

      
        vzbv demands    
    Implementing the new European Right to Repair Directive into national law must ensure that the price and duration of repairs by the manufacturer after the end of the legal guarantee period are defined more precisely. This is the only way to give consumers legal certainty about the reasonable cost of spare parts and repairs. A nationwide repair bonus with eco-modulation must be introduced to promote repairs.
To speed up the timely process of implementing Ecodesign rules for each product group, the European Commission should work on horizontal regulations regarding the reparability requirements of several product groups together. In this case, it is possible to regulate more product groups under the right-to-repair directive as quickly as possible. Currently, there are only 10 product groups regulated under the right-to-repair directive. The cost of spare parts must be considered as a criterion in the reparability assessment.
To make sure that the new digital product passport will be an instrument for efficient consumer information, the information offered must consider the needs and interests of consumers. Furthermore, the design of the digital product passport should be appealing, easy to use, and comprehensive. 
The length of legal guarantees and the reversal of the burden of proof for durable goods must be based on the use and service lifetime of the products. Minimum lifespan of products must be clearly indicated on the product or in the product description.

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Ecodesign: Making equipment more durable | vzbv factsheet | January 2019

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29.08.2022Smartphone repairs are too expensive

Research by the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – vzbv) shows that common repairs for smartphones are relatively expensive. This is particularly the case with respect to cheaper models. A forsa survey commissioned by vzbv confirms that high costs are the main reason people do not get their phone repaired. vzbv thus calls for a repair bonus and lower VAT for repair services.