The global conversation on Right to Repair
Bidding goodbye to the era of planned obsolescence, mounting e-waste and big tech dominance and ushering in an era of a consumer's Rights to Repair, reduced e-waste and a sustainable future
The Right to Repair movement is a global phenomenon, not confined to any single country (don’t let the FBI meme mislead you). But you get the drift!
Picking the thread from our last edition, the history of this right’s genesis is embedded in planned obsolescence, that is embedded closely in the fabric of consumerism - the bedrock of capitalism, which took its beautiful shape largely in the United States.
It is crucial that we remember to visualise this right’s journey and trace it back to consumerism, for every sector and every industry. This way we will also be able to trace the chinks in its armour so we can move towards circularity. Hopefully this method can help us reveal the take-make-waste model in our respective sectors so we can highlight the leaks to be sealed.
Repair is just one way to seal of the leaks. The whole point of building this repository of resources, here at the LOCSTLAK Newsletter is to enable entrepreneurs to start thinking about circularity, not as a threat to their business but as an opportunity to capitalise on. Repair, as a solution is necessary for all industries and needs collaboration, as concluded in the last newsletter.
Global fight against dominance
The Right to Repair movement is about challenging the dominance of large tech companies. These companies often restrict access to repairs, forcing consumers to rely on expensive authorised repair centres or purchase new devices prematurely. This creates a monopoly that hurts both consumers and the environment due to increased e-waste.
In India we have a long standing culture of experimenting to fix things or make news things out of the old. We call it "jugaad". In India, one can witness “jugaad” in its finest forms everywhere from our kitchens to roads to fashion and even to government policies. “Jugaad” or tinkering (as Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniack of Apple suggest in their Blue Box Story) is a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of its people.
Vianney Vaute, co-founder of BackMarket (the first marketplace exclusively dedicated to the sale of refurbished products) made an interesting observation about this story in his Forbes article.
“While at first glance it might seem funny that Apple, a company born out of tinkering, also makes it so hard for people to tinker, repair, and refurbish their devices, Steve Jobs’ statement actually clears things up. There are two main takeaways:
Tinkering/building/repairing = control.
Control = money
Suddenly, Apple’s positioning against the Right to Repair bills that are now gaining traction across the country makes a whole lot of sense. Back in the day, Apple was the little guy vying for control and today it just happens to be the big guy, at a trillion dollar market cap, fighting tooth and nail to keep its control over “100’s of billions of dollars around the world.”” - Vianney Vaute
That explains the resistance by these companies amply well. While large tech companies argue about data security risks and the need to maintain product quality, the Right to Repair movement counters that consumers should have the choice of who repairs their devices and that sustainable practices should be prioritised. Currently, the most effective catalyst to facilitate this fight against dominance is government action.
United States - Pioneers of capitalism and of repair
An important stakeholder in this equation is the - government aided by policy makers and experts, that are tasked with making effective repair centric laws. The Right to Repair movement began taking traction in the gaining traction first, unsurprisingly in the United States, the mother of all things capitalism. While the famous Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act of 2011 was passed in Massachusetts in 2012, the story began in the 1920s America.
Without going into details about thr story here, to trace its roots effectively for the future, it is worthwhile to note why planned obsolescence became the norm and what took precedence. Giles Slade’s book Made to Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America explores the intersection between consumerism, capitalism, and planned obsolescence aptly.
As a historian Slade analyses how capitalism thrives on constant consumption, and as Publisher’s Weekly observed - his even-handed analysis acknowledges both manufacturers' manipulative marketing ploys and consumers' ingrained love of the new as motors of obsolescence, which he considers an inescapable feature of a society so focused on progress and change. In this book he analyses how American manufacturers created a culture of disposability to fuel this cycle. This involved multiple stages: first, technological advancements rendered older products obsolete. Then, manufacturers focused on design and aesthetics (planned obsolescence) to make consumers desire newer versions even if their old ones still functioned. Finally, planned obsolescence reached its peak with the use of inferior materials to deliberately shorten product lifespans and encourage replacements. This strategy is linked to the rise of advertising and branding, which focus on creating a desire for newness and beauty in products, often overshadowing the need for repairable, long-lasting goods.
In the 90s, car manufacturers opposed the Right to Repair movement because as vehicles became more complex with computer-controlled systems, they require specialised knowledge and tools for repair. This shift made manufacturers the sole providers of crucial information and parts, giving them more control over the repair process and potentially raising repair costs for consumers.
After a making a long and tumultuous journey, the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act came into being in Massachusetts, requiring car manufacturers to provide repair manuals and information to independent repair shops. This landmark legislation paved the way for similar laws in other states.
The movement gained further momentum in 2016 when farmers joined the fight, frustrated by restrictions on repairing their own tractors.
This led to a push for broader Right to Repair legislation encompassing electronics and appliances.
In 2021, Biden administration took a significant step by signing an executive order directing the Federal Trade Commission to draft new regulations limiting device manufacturers’ ability to restrict independent repairs of their products. This means manufacturers won’t be able to restrict the type of repairs independent shops can perform, empowering consumers and promoting competition. The new rules for technology manufacturers are part of a sweeping order aimed at a wide range of industries—including banking, tech platforms, labor markets, internet service providers, and airlines—with the collective goal of increasing competition across the US economy.
European Union - Sustainability trailblazers
The EU has taken the most comprehensive approach to Right to Repair. In 2021, they passed legislation mandating manufacturers to ensure spare parts and repair information are available for electronic goods for up to ten years. This ambitious legislation aims to significantly reduce electronic waste, a growing problem in Europe.
In 2021, France created the French Repairability Index, which is a scoring system that took inspiration from iFixit's scorecard. France has also expressed its intent to merge it into a 'Durability index' that also considers how long items are expected to last.
United Kingdom - Taking steps towards sustainability
The UK implemented Right to Repair legislations in July 2021. The Regulations aimed to increase producer responsibility, reduce energy usage and electrical waste, and enable consumers to identify the most energy efficient products on the market. Following the UK leaving the EU, the UK chose to mirror requirements in equivalent EU regulations. The right provides ‘professional repairers’ with access to spare parts and technical information from July 2021, but manufacturers have a grace period of up to 2 years to make spare parts available. To this point, environment activists have raised an issue with this, as this is a right extending not to consumers who own the product but only to professional repairers.
However, this initiative is the firs step, that aims to make electronics more sustainable by extending their lifespan and reducing e-waste.
India - Legitimising “jugaad” by standardising practices with companies
India's tailor made Right to Repair movement is on a mission to empower consumers to fix their electronics and appliances and make “jugaad” cool again by creating a joint force of the manufacturing companies and the repairers. The Department of Consumer Affairs launched a Right to Repair portal to achieve this mission. This portal offers information on repair services, warranties, contact details for customer service, and even consumer awareness blogs. However, the lack of standardised practices and access to genuine parts can sometimes compromise repair quality.
In India, participation by companies is voluntary, which severely restricts information availability. Additionally, the portal mainly functions as a directory of information already accessible online. To address these shortcomings, proposals include mandatory registration for manufacturers, a product repairability index, and a repository of 3D models for parts, which are being considered by the department.
The government faces the challenge of balancing consumer rights with manufacturer concerns, particularly regarding IP. Striking this balance is crucial to attract foreign manufacturers. By strengthening the Right to Repair policy while addressing these concerns, India has the potential to progress towards a less wasteful future with a thriving circular economy. Highlighting the government's commitment to expanding the portal's reach and ensuring wider industry participation, the Department of Consumer Affairs met with Automobile Associations a few days ago, to get companies on board the Right To Repair Portal India. Their focus on readily available repair manuals, fostering a network of reliable third-party repair services, and establishing standards for them - reflects a comprehensive and proactive approach that is aimed to empower consumers.
The future of Right to Repair - Paving the way for a cultural shift
The global Right to Repair movement is still evolving, with both sides presenting valid arguments. However, the growing emphasis on environmental sustainability and consumer empowerment suggests that Right to Repair legislations worldwide are gaining traction.
Lobbyists must press for this legislation, as it could address certain rampant issues standing in the way of repair globally, by targeting to achieve three crucial points -
Formalising the informal sector by requiring manufacturers to provide repair manuals, parts, and diagnostic tools, the informal repair sector could be brought into the formal economy. This would improve repair quality and ensure consumer safety.
Promoting skills development by incentivising training programs for independent repair technicians. This would create new job opportunities and ensure a skilled workforce to maintain the growing number of electronic devices in India.
Empowering consumers by giving them access to repair information and parts; giving them more control over their devices. This would lead to informed repair decisions, potentially reducing unnecessary replacements and promoting a more sustainable consumption pattern.
For consumers, Colleta Smith, a Cost of living correspondent at the BBC observes that having the right to repair is a step removed from having the confidence to actually attempt one, though. It's a much bigger cultural shift to convince people to fix it and not to fling it.
For entrepreneurs looking for tangible solutions - don’t wait endlessly for government action. While that cooks, start at the beginning and learn how to build a system to see the how all the parts are chosen, used and designed to evaluate its impact. Educate yourself on the hierarchy of post-disposable design solutions that can massively reduce waste and move us to a more sustainable future. The graphic below is a great starting point for any industry to see how one can dissect the parts of one’s product and move towards a sustainable design.
By working together, consumers, policymakers, manufacturers and the repair industry can create a future where Right to Repair is a reality. This will empower consumers, promote a thriving repair sector, and contribute to a more sustainable future for our planet.
Shouldering the responsibility, to build a repository for entrepreneurs, it is my endeavour to bring stories that highlight how this entire discussion plays out in real life.Watch this space for a riveting conversation with a fashion industry veteran on the importance of repair for the industry!