In 2020, France introduced a stamp that scored the electronic devices by how easy it is to repair them. This repairability index is calculated by analyzing some technical criteria, like spare parts availability and how easily the device can be taken apart. Spain is now the second country in the UE that does this.
This Monday, Alberto Garzón, the Spanish Minister of Consumption, announced the new measure. The manufacturers will be the ones in charge to score their own products. The “Repairability Index” is a label that all electronic devices should have in their packaging and will determine if the product is easy to fix.
The objective of this new measure is to encourage the market to start buying repairable products and as a result, reduce the obsolescence and the ecological footprint that some electronics produce.
¿How the Repairability Index will work?
All the electronic devices sold in Spain will need to show a visible label on each product packaging with the score, which will go from 0 to 10 and will determine how easily that specific device can be repaired in case that it breaks down.
The manufacturers will have to present all the documentation to the Ministerio de Consumo, which will lead to an investigation to check if the spare parts and device components are offered in the market and if the price matches the final product price. This will prevent the selling of overpriced spare parts, which in some cases can be more expensive than the product per se.
So, from now on, brands will be distinguished by their sustainability, which is a huge opportunity for a clean re-start.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.es/espana-anuncia-indice-reparabilidad-venta-tecnologia-829539