Beginning Jan. 1, 2021 smartphones, TVs, laptops and some appliances sold in France will receive a repairability score in the form of a sticker on the product’s packaging. | Preechar Bowonkitwanchai/Shutterstock
Looking to extend the lifetime of electronics, French officials plan to introduce a rating system that communicates repairability and durability to consumers.
U.K. trade publication Circular reported that the French government will begin phasing in the compulsory rating system on Jan. 1, 2021. At first, smartphones, TVs, laptops and some appliances will receive a repairability score in the form of a sticker on the product’s packaging.
These stickers will rate repairability on a scale of 1 to 10, Circular reported.
In 2024, the rating system will be expanded to cover durability and will be mandatory on a wider list of products, according to the report.
The ultimate goal is to increase consumer repair of devices. According to Circular, 60% of consumer electronics and appliances are discarded or recycled when they break. France wants to reduce that to 40% by facilitating repair.
The French move joins a wider European Union push for improving device repairability.
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