Thank you for contacting me about electrical appliances and the 'right to repair'.
I welcome that the Government will legislate to tackle ‘premature obsolescence’, which is where a short lifespan is deliberately built into an appliance by manufacturers which leads to unnecessary and costly replacements for the consumer. Due to forthcoming legislation which seeks to improve energy efficiency, fridges, washing machines and televisions will soon be cheaper to run, easier to repair and will last longer.
From summer this year, manufacturers will be legally obliged to make spare parts for products available to consumers for the first time so that electrical appliances can be fixed easily. Giving consumers this new legal ‘right for repairs’ is expected to extend the lifespan of products by up to 10 years, preventing appliances ending up on the scrap heap sooner than they should and reducing carbon emissions at the same time. This is incredibly important as the UK currently generates around 1.5 million tonnes of electrical waste every year.
In addition, higher energy efficiency standards will be placed on electrical products which could save consumers an average of £75 a year on energy bills and also cut 8 mega tonnes of carbon emissions in 2021 by reducing electrical waste. A new energy efficiency rating of A-G will replace the existing system where the majority of products are classed as A+, A++, or A+++. Under the new system with higher standards, very few products will be classified as A.
I am encouraged that these measures will give manufacturers the incentive to go further, while also giving consumers the confidence they need to buy energy efficient products. Furthermore, it boosts consumer confidence in the environmental credentials of the products they are purchasing.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
