The EU has long been looking at the impact of waste when it comes to electronic goods. There has been a surge in companies creating products with a “built-in obsolescence”, forcing consumers to spend more on new, working goods. There has been a push for new legislation to enforce a “right to repair” and before leaving the EU, the UK agreed to instate matching laws within this country. The laws are now in place as of 1st July 2021, but what does that mean for you?
The new legislation requires that companies must make spare parts available for certain products. The parts should be available within two year of the product’s release, and up to seven or ten years after its discontinuation depending on the type of part. Some of the spare parts are only available to professionals where the repair associated with it is considered more complicated, whilst others, deemed simpler are available for everyone.
This is great news but unfortunately the categories of goods this applies to right now is still fairly limited and only applies to items purchased after 1st July. As well as a selection of non-consumer products, right to repair laws currently only apply to:
- Dishwashers
- Fridges
- Washing Machines (and Washer-Dryers)
- Electronic Displays (including TVs)
Whilst you might hope that the electronic displays category includes tablets, smartphones and laptops, it does not. It’s great to see steps being taken in the right direction, but at ARK Computer Repairs we’re disappointed more hasn’t been done in the area of computing goods.
We hope the legislation will be developed and expanded upon in the coming years and of course we will always do our best to avoid unnecessary waste whilst we help you keep your products working like new for as long as possible.
