2024-01-04 09:36:31
Repair rather than buy, but ultimately for what price? The price of repairs for electrical and electronic devices has increased on average by 10 to 15% over the past year and the implementation of aid intended to encourage repairs, according to the consumer defense association CLCV. The organization analyzed the approximately 160,000 repairs of televisions, dishwashers and other refrigerators carried out in 2023 with the support of the “repair bonus”.
This “bonus”, created by law in 2020 and implemented in December 2022, covers part of the cost of the work, to encourage consumers to repair rather than repurchase. But according to the CLCV report, “price increases are to be noted during the implementation of the repair bonus”, with “an upward trend in the average cost of repair”.
Between January and November 2023, the average bill to repair washing machines, built-in ovens or stoves increased by 12%. The increase was 14% for televisions. For cell phones, it’s +18%. On the other hand, the average bill fell by 4% for potable computers.
Several factors combine: the windfall effect, but also the increase in costs due to inflation, the complexity of certain repairs, underlines the report, which recommends that customers “play with the competition”. “Constant monitoring of prices (…) is essential to guarantee the long-term effectiveness of the repair fund,” adds CLCV to the public authorities.
An expanded list of eligible products
The repair bonus got off to a rocky start, with a gradual labeling of repairers, today numbering 4,700 but still unevenly distributed across the country. Thus, the North, Paris and Bouches-du-Rhône being the least well served per number of inhabitants. The list of eligible products has been gradually expanded, from 14 when the fund opened at the end of 2022… to 75 today.
Since January 1, the amount of the bonus has been increased by 5 euros for 21 products such as hobs, hoods, cookers, toasters, irons, and doubled for 5 others among the most frequently repaired: televisions, vacuum cleaners, washing machine, dishwasher, dryer. Now this support ranges from 15 to 60 euros depending on the devices, financed by the “eco-contribution” included in the price of new devices.
However, the growth in the number of repairers labeled “QualiRépar” remains “below initial expectations”, adds CLCV, which mentions in particular the administrative constraints and costs of the process. And this, particularly for small businesses.
The eco-organizations Ecosystem and Ecologic, which manage the end of life of electrical appliances, have planned to reduce the cost of labeling from 447 to 200 euros for three years. The electrical and electronic equipment sector produces some 1.8 million tonnes of waste annually, according to a study by the Sofies council.
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