The new rules also include energy efficiency rules and provisions to tackle premature obsolescence – a practice manufacturers use to artificially shorten their products’ lifespan in order to encourage future sales.
While the rules come into place from today, the firms affected will have a two-year grace period to make spare parts available to consumers.
The rules are in part designed to tackle the 1.5 million tonnes of electrical waste generated in the UK every year by extending the lifespan of products by up to 10 years. A study from late last year found that Britons are the second largest producers of e-waste in Europe, generating around 55kg per household annually.
The EU introduced its own right to repair rules in March that mandate that firms make their products repairable for at least a decade after coming to market.
Minister of state for energy Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “The tougher standards coming in today will ensure more of our electrical...