For Christmas, offer your old broken phone. Since Thursday, December 15, it is now possible to benefit from a “bonus” for the repair of electrical appliances, worth a few tens of euros. After the repairability index, which since January 1, 2021 has guided consumers when buying their products, this new measure should encourage them to reduce waste… And could prove very useful in the event of a difficult end of the month on the bank account. How to get it? Follow the guide.
Bonuses, what for?
Since and under the anti-waste law for a circular economy (AGEC), enacted in 2020, the government wants to push the repair. The idea? Prevent certain potentially usable electrical products from being thrown away at the slightest glitch. “It’s good for purchasing power because repairing it is cheaper than buying new. And it’s good for the planet: a repaired device saves resources and greenhouse gas emissions. greenhouses avoided”, specified Christophe Béchu, the Minister for the Ecological Transition, in a statement.
According to Ademe, one of the main obstacles to this act is the price of the repair, perceived by 53% of French people as sometimes more expensive than the purchase of a new device. “To reverse this trend and support the evolution of our consumption habits, the government is introducing this easy-to-use repair bonus,” he explains. In France, less than 10% of electronic devices marketed are repaired. This is well below the objective displayed by the executive, which aims for more than 60% of objects repaired by 2026. To do this, an envelope of 410 million euros in bonuses is planned for the period. 2022-2027
Which products and which amounts?
The bonus varies between 15 to 45 euros depending on the type of repair, according to a scale unveiled last November. Among the thirty or so types of eligible appliances: filter coffee machine, iron (10 euros), vacuum cleaner, drill/screwdriver, DVD player, home cinema, musical instrument, bicycle, scooter (15 euros), games, enclosure (20 euros), wine cellar, washing machine, fridge/freezer, tablet, mobile phone (25 euros), television, video projector (30 euros). The Ministry of Ecology plans to extend the categories to other objects – such as sporting goods, DIY and garden items, textile clothing and shoes, and finally furniture – in 2023.
Which brands are labeled?
“400 stores and 700 home repairers are labeled throughout metropolitan France, indicates the Ministry of Ecology. More and more repairers will be labeled by eco-organizations in the coming months,” he promises. The number of approved repairers must also be extended: 1,500 are expected by 2023, and 10,000 for 2027, with all types represented (independent, manufacturer after-sales service, distributor after-sales service).
To obtain the “QualiRépar” label, granted for three years, all must have submitted their application to a certifying body (Bureau Veritas, SGS or AFNOR), and responded to a reference system (skills, price transparency, etc.). The government offers a platform to find certified repairers: https://www.label-qualirepar.fr/