The UK Government’s recent ‘right to repair’ law may be a step in the right direction for consumers and for the environment, but should the legislation have been wider reaching in order to further incentivise the transition to circularity and servitisation? To require manufacturers to become providers not only of products, but of outcomes, experiences and ongoing services too?
The regulations, which cover domestic white goods, televisions and some non-consumer products including electric motors and commercial refrigerators, mandate that manufacturers must provide spare parts in order to extend the lifespan of products for up to ten years. Parts deemed ‘simple and safe’ to replace are to be supplied direct to consumers, with spares for more specialist repairs made available to qualified technicians.
There are fears that this will fuel price rises, and concerns over the possible cost of the spare parts and the repair work, both of which will be out of...