Provide financial incentives for citizens to choose repair
One of the main barriers for citizens to choose repair is the cost. Repairing a device is often more expensive than buying a new one. A financial incentive (a repair bonus) that reimburses part of the repair cost, could convince consumers to choose repair.
Check the examples from Germany and Austria below!
The repair bonus program in Germany
In the German state of Thuringia, consumers can use a repair bonus to reimburse a maximum of 100 euro for the reparation of a product. The program was launched in June 2021 and already had 7000 residents applying for the bonus. Most of the appliances were repaired in specialized retailers, electronic stores or through the costumer services of the manufacturers. The success in Thuringia inspired the state of Bavaria to unroll a similar program. Inhabitants of Bavaria are offered a bonus of 200 euro a year for repair.
A nationwide repair bonus in Austria
The Austrian government started a nationwide bonus program for repair in 2022. Austrians can register for a voucher online and use it for the repair and cost estimate for repair of almost all electrical and electronic devices. The vouchers cover half of the total repair cost, up to an amount of 200 euros. Companies that want to participate, need to register online. The government has provided 60 million euros to fund the repair campaign until the end of 2023.
More success stories
The Right to Repair collected more examples of financial incentives for repair in Austria, Germany, France and Sweden in this clear overview.