Manufacturers are now legally required to make spare parts available for anyone buying electrical products in the UK.
The Government’s new Right to Repair law came into effect on July 1, 2021, forcing manufacturers to provide spare parts for “simple and safe” repairs.
It also requires them to make other parts available to professional repair shops for more complicated parts. The law gave companies a two-year grace period until 2023 to come into compliance.
Chiefly aimed at appliances such as washing machines, TVs and fridges, it covers all electrical products such as heat presses to prevent “built-in obsolescence” where manufacturers design appliances to break down to encourage consumers to buy new ones. However, the law does not cover phones, tablets and laptops.
The aim of the new rules is to extend the lifespan of products by up to 10 years, preventing appliances ending up on the scrap heap sooner than they should and reducing carbon emissions at the same time. The UK generates around 1.5 million tonnes of electrical waste every year.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said: “The tougher standards will ensure more of our electrical goods can be fixed rather than have to be thrown away when they stop working, putting more money back in the pockets of consumers.”
