Right-to-repair rules need fixing

8 Aug, 2022

JULIA WADE

Along with the trend of ‘fast fashion’, ‘fast furniture and electronics’ has also been an environmental problem, with many items ending up dumped in landfills due to the cost of repairs being too difficult and expensive.

On July 7, Repair Cafe Aotearoa NZ, supported by Greenpeace Aotearoa, delivered a petition with over 12,000 signatures [since risen to nearly 13,500] to Minister for the Environment David Parker, to bring in stronger ‘right-to-repair’ measures which will allow items to be more easily repaired at an affordable cost.

The petition requests the government:

1. Pass laws that require products to last longer and ensure products put on NZ’s market meet basic standards of durability and repairability, and be easier to repair with independent repairers having easier access to spare parts, tools and information required.

2. Take action to make repair services accessible and affordable for all NZ communities and support and fund the growth of both for-profit and community-based repair services.

3. Ensure kiwis have access to information on product repairability and durability when purchasing products in NZ, including supporting Consumer NZ to develop a labelling/certification scheme to be displayed on key products, and adoption of a ‘repairability index’ informing consumers on how easy an item can be repaired, before they buy.

4. Amend the Consumer Guarantees Act so no manufacturer can opt out of the requirement to offer spare parts and repair services, which they currently can do if they inform the consumer at the point of sale that there are no spare parts or repair services.

Repair Cafe states: ‘Aotearoa New Zealand is behind many countries in the world when it comes to protecting the ‘right-to-repair’ law. Achieving good outcomes for repair requires changes to education and consumer, copyright and waste minimisation laws and the government needs to take note of the best overseas

examples. We want the government to hold producers and retailers responsible for the whole life-cycle costs of the products they put into the market. It's time to reclaim our right to buy durable products that are easy to repair’.

n For more info on the petition check out community.greenpeace.org.nz/petitions/make-it-our-right-to-repair

Repairing goods should be a more viable option says a petition delivered to Government recently.