Durable and repairable products: changes needed for a successful path towards the green transition

Consumers want to buy more durable and repairable products since this is better, both for the environment and their pockets. For consumers to make informed decisions about what products to buy based on their environmental performance, they need reliable information on durability and repairability. Moreover, many consumers are frustrated when the products do not live up to their expectations or fail shortly after the legal guarantee period runs out. This means that product design must be improved, and new consumer rights need to be established to enhance product durability.

The EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan announced several legislative and non-legislative initiatives that are supposed to enable the urgently needed green transition of the European economy. This paper lays out BEUC's recommendation on how the EU could make a difference for the benefits of consumers and the environment.