Consumers in Germany will soon have a legal right to repair for devices such as washing machines, refrigerators, and smartphones. The federal cabinet approved a draft law on Wednesday in Berlin under which manufacturers will be required to repair certain products for several years at a reasonable price, as announced by the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection. "This strengthens consumers and leads to more sustainability," declared Consumer Protection Minister Stefanie Hubig of the SPD.
According to the ministry, the right will apply to all products for which manufacturers are already required under current law to keep spare parts in stock for a certain period of time. These include mobile phones and tablets, refrigerators, and dryers.
For washing machines and tumble dryers, this requirement will apply for at least ten years, and for smartphones for at least seven years from the moment production of the model is discontinued, according to the ministry. Furthermore, companies will be obligated to offer repairs at a reasonable price. The proposed changes are intended to implement an EU directive promoting the repair of goods.
"With the new right to repair, we want to make it easier for consumers to choose a repair," Hubig explained. Additionally, they should receive an incentive to opt for a repair when they could also demand a new delivery in the case of a defective product. The warranty period will extend from two to three years if consumers have a product repaired instead of replacing it in such cases.
The regulations are intended to clarify that if a product cannot be repaired, even though its repairability can normally be expected, this constitutes a material defect and the buyer has warranty rights, the ministry further explained. For example, in the case of a smartphone, this could give rise to a right to a new delivery.
According to the current draft law, deviating agreements on repairability in purchase contracts will be possible, as the ministry further announced. However, in contracts with consumers, companies can only deviate from the regulations with explicit information and through an express and separate agreement, the ministry stated.
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