11 November 2024

THINK TANK CALLS FOR NEW ‘REPAIR RATING’ TO HELP AUSTRALIANS BUY REPAIRABLE APPLIANCES

NEW RESEARCH FINDS CONSUMERS MISLED BY VAGUE ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS ON UNREPAIRABLE PRODUCTS

The Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) is calling for the introduction of a standardised repair rating system for major household appliances, in response to the Productivity Commission’s circular economy inquiry.

“We’re filling landfills with potentially repairable appliances because we are given no or vague information about how to make our products last and repair them,” CPRC Senior Researcher Marianne Campbell said.

A CPRC mystery shop investigation of 120 major appliances (including fridges, washing machines, and split system air conditioners) found:

• 39 per cent of products featured vague environmental claims at point of purchase, using terms like “environmental,” “energy smart technology,” and “eco”
• Four in five consumers admitted they would still rely on unclear green claims when making purchasing decisions
• Two-thirds support the introduction of an independent, standardised rating system for product durability and repairability

“There was no standard and consistent information at the point of sale to help people understand how long products last – that is why we’re calling for the Federal Government to introduce a new rating system for major purchases that helps people compare products based on durability and repairability.

“We also don’t need to reinvent the wheel; France has developed a 5-star repair rating system that could be rolled out here.

“Companies are already disclosing these scores in Europe – they just need to do the same for Australian consumers,” Campbell said.

A standardised repair rating system would help shoppers make more informed decisions, support the transition to a circular economy, reduce environmental waste as well as save money through better product choices.

“For a circular economy to really work, we need to make it easier for people to identify and choose durable, repairable products; a repair rating would be a practical step toward that goal, benefiting both consumers and the environment.

“It will help people save money and environmental resources by buying and keeping durable and repairable products,” Campbell said.

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Media contact:  Liliana Campos, CPRC Communication Manager 0493 539 466