In a bid to ensure that appliances such as fridges, televisions, and washing machines last longer and do not run up large bills, the British government has introduced a new law. The law termed ‘right to repair’ is expected to come into effect by the summer, 2021.

What does the right to repair mean?

The law was put in place with the objective of tackling “premature obsolescence” in electrical goods. By this the government meant that they were addressing the issue of short lifespans built into appliances by manufacturers, forcing customers to buy new appliances sooner.

As per the new law, manufacturers will be legally required to make spare parts for products available to customers for the first time such a requirement arises.

Which appliances fall under the law?

Most major appliances are protected by this new law. For instance, refrigerators, vending machines, washing machines, dishwashers, and electronic displays (including televisions) will be covered by the law. That's not all, the law can also be applied to light sources, separate control gears, external power suppliers, electric motors, power transformers, and welding equipment. It does not, however, cover smartphones.

What's the end goal?

Apart from doing away with the frequent repurchase of the goods, the law will help consumers save £75 a year on an average on bills over their lifetimes.

That’s not all. The law, as per the government, will also make the appliances more energy efficient and increase the lifespan of the goods by ten years. This, in turn, will contribute to reducing carbon emissions in the country and lead to a fall in the 1.5 million tonnes of electrical waste generated each year in the UK, as per the government.

The law will apply in Great Britain, while EU rules will continue to apply in Northern Ireland, in light of Brexit.

Speaking about the new law, Business and Energy secretary, BBC news, Kwasi Kwarteng was quoted as saying, “Our plans to tighten product standards will ensure more of our electrical goods can be fixed rather than thrown on the scrap heap, putting more money back in the pockets of consumers whilst protecting the environment.” He explained that going forward, the government’s upcoming energy efficiency framework would push electrical products to use even less energy and material resources. This would help people save money on their bills and reduce carbon emissions as the government works to reach net-zero by 2050.