Repairing goods can cut the high cost of waste and replacement 

Our current production and consumption system has a fundamental flaw – it produces far too much waste which comes at a high cost everywhere and for everyone. 

In the EU alone around 35 million tonnes of waste is produced from consumer goods that are thrown away before the end of their lifetime. This produces 261 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions. 

And consumers are hit hard in the pocket too, losing €12 billion each year by replacing goods instead of repairing them.  

REPper project wants to make repair the easy option

Encouraging people to opt for repair instead of the bin or recycling depot seems like common sense. However, it requires a shift in mindset and behaviour from consumers and it needs to be a viable and accessible financial option. 

Euroconsumers members are part of the REPper project which brings together 10 partners from 8 countries (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal Slovenia and Spain) to make that mindset shift a reality. 

A new video from the project shows how REPper will leverage change across three key parts of the product repair cycle: 

Supply: by creating a transnational network of pilot services for repair SMEs

Training: by setting up a REPper Factory for upskilling and reskilling repair supervisors, trainers and trainees

Demand: by developing a new repair culture through awareness and participatory actions and applying behavioural approaches to encourage users to change their habits and perspectives.

REPper is positive about repair

The film was shared with the audience at Euroconsumers Forum during a panel discussion about empowering consumers sustainable choices.  

Speakers from BEUC, Vodafone, The Restart Project, EcoWise Ekodenge Ltd joined with REPper project representatives to stress the need to change hearts and minds with a fresh vision of repair: 

• • In policy and enforcement, serious resources and monitoring are needed to make the redesign of goods across so many product categories a success. 
• • Currently, costly repairs stop consumers fixing their appliances and devices, and they end up as waste. 
• • Local initiatives like ‘fixing factories’ can keep products from landfill, foster a repair culture, and build community links. But financial incentives are needed to boost and sustain uptake and for it to make sense economically. For example, making spare parts or repairs VAT free, or enabling costs of spare parts to be reclaimed.  
• • New ecosystems of repair services need to be developed and used by consumers to fix failed products. This will take time and consistent pressure from many different directions including consumer demand.  A key part of this will be sharing the repair message to people in an enjoyable way.

In the REPper video, you’ll see a positive, aspirational picture of repair, with examples of skilled repairers, vibrant workshops and communities of people coming together to learn about the value of repairing their clothes, electronics or bikes. This can also boost social inclusion as well as economic value. 

Repair mindset need action across the board 

Changing minds and encouraging a different course of action take time, and crucially must be an affordable and easy option for people. At the same time as encouraging consumers to take the repair option, there needs to be business models in place that work for the supply and demand side. This relies on changes across manufacturing, retail, policy and legislation.

The Repair Directive 2024/1799 has made a start by strengthening requirements on manufacturers to, for example, repair a product for a reasonable price and within a reasonable timeframe after the legal guarantee period.

The REPper project is exploring how access to spare parts, tools and repair information can grow the repair networks needed to support the implementation of new rules. It is also looking at other communications tools such as online platforms to point consumers to reputable, trusted local repair services and shops selling refurbished goods. 

REPper: a longer life for products

So many of the goods we throw away have plenty of life left in them, and replacing them costs more. Consumers want to repair but the economics of the current take, make, dispose system don’t make it an easy option.

Projects like REPper are part of a wider push across Europe to grow not just new skills and a new industry but a new mindset of longer lived products. With the right support, people’s mindsets can be changed.

You can rewatch the panel ‘Consumers and Market Empowerment for a sustainable future: are we ready?’ here. Speakers from the REPeer project were joined by:

• • Rembrandt Koppelar, Research & Innovation Lead at EcoWise Ekodenge Ltd
• • SaÅ¡a Zavratnik Project m,anager at E-Institute 
• • Ugo Vallauri, Co-Founder and Co-Director of The Restart Project 
• • Paolo Pinzoni, Head of Public Affairs, Vodafone and Board member of Vodafone Foundation Italy 
• •  Silvia Barlassina, Ecodesign Project Coordinator at BEUC