economy
April 1, 2026
Why We Don't Repair Appliances Anymore
Europe is trying to bring product repair back into consumer habits, but it turns out to be a difficult task. Although repair is recognized as an economically and environmentally desirable option, most consumers still opt for buying new products because repair is often more expensive, complicated, and less accessible. The results of the 'REPper' project, which gathered more than 130 experts from several European countries, point to this, showing that the main obstacles are high prices of spare parts, lack of experts, limited access to information, and insufficient consumer trust.
TL;DR
- Consumers increasingly choose to buy new products over repairing broken ones because repair is often more expensive, complicated, and less available.
- Key barriers to repair include high spare part prices, a shortage of skilled technicians, limited access to information, and low consumer trust in repair services.
- The EU's 'Right to Repair' directive aims to make servicing easier and more affordable, and encourages products designed for longevity and simpler maintenance.
- Digital product passports could enhance transparency by providing information on parts, repairability, and maintenance history.
- Economic factors are a major challenge, with new, often imported, products being cheaper than repairs, necessitating financial incentives like repair vouchers and reduced VAT on parts and services.
- A shift from a 'buy and toss' mentality to one of repair, reuse, and sustainability is desired to reduce electronic waste and create new jobs.
- Over 14 million tons of electronic waste are generated annually in Europe, with many devices discarded despite being repairable.