We’ve all been there: our smartphone has minor damage and instead of having it repaired, we just get a new one. But many discarded devices could have been repaired. To decrease the number of smartphones and devices that are thrown away, Berlin introduced a repair bonus in September 2024. The bonus has already been in place in Saxony and Thuringia for several years—with great success.
Why it pays to repair smartphones and devices
If an electrical device is broken, it usually ends up in the bin—even if the damage could easily have been fixed. Many people find repairs too expensive or inconvenient. According to the Baker Institute at Rice University, e-waste has become the fastest growing waste stream in the world. On average, each person produces 7.3 kilograms of e-waste per year.
Although they contain many valuable raw materials, very few discarded devices are recycled. The recycling rate for electronics in Europe and the USA is less than 20 percent. Instead, electronic waste ends up in landfill sites. And these e-waste landfills are among the most toxic places in the world.
From an ecological point of view, repairing devices is well worth it. According to Global 2000, buying a new washing machine, for example, pays off after 17 to 23 years at the earliest. Even if the new electrical appliance has a lower energy consumption, the emissions from the raw materials and production for a new appliance are only offset after a long time. If the lifespan of all washing machines, notebooks, vacuum cleaners and smartphones in the EU were extended by just a single year, around four million tons of CO2 emissions would be saved. This is equivalent to having two million fewer cars on the road.
To tackle this problem, there is now an EU-wide right to repair. However, it is up to individual countries to implement it. And while some countries are leading the way with the repair bonus, not much has happened in large parts of the EU.
The repair bonus as an alternative to buying new
“Repair must become a sensible alternative to buying new for consumers,” says Ramona Pop, Director of the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (VZVB). “The price often determines whether a product is repaired. Consumers must therefore be supported financially if they decide to have a product repaired.”
In order to keep the price of repairs low, Berlin and Saxony reimburse half of the costs for repairs up to 200 euros. In Thuringia, 50 percent of the costs are also covered but capped at 100 euros per person per year. The bonus actually covers all electronic devices, from smartphones and laptops to “white goods” such as fridges and washing machines.
The repair bonus is available regardless of whether the electrical appliances were repaired in a store or in a Repair Café. In the case of free repairs carried out in a Repair Café, the bonus can also be used to reimburse the cost of spare parts.
HandyHelfer: all information on repairing, reusing or recycling cell phones
Do you have an old or broken cell phone and are wondering what you can do with it? Or are you looking for a new smartphone that will last as long as possible and therefore have less impact on the environment?
HandyHelfer is a free tool that summarises all the information on repairing, reusing or recycling cell phones.
With the repair bonus scheme, customers have to pay upfront for repairs. They then receive the bonus by submitting an application for the refund. (Watch out for bureaucracy! It does take some patience to upload all documents in full.)
You can apply for the repair bonus here:
Repairs have taken off in Thuringia and Saxony
The bonus has been available in Thuringia since 2021 and in Saxony since 2023. In Saxony alone, around 10,000 electrical appliances were repaired in the first half of 2024. This mainly included cell phones and “white goods”, i.e. washing machines, dishwashers and ovens. And around 30,000 applications for the Thuringian repair bonus, which entered its fourth round in May 2024, have been approved in recent years.
“The repair bonus in Thuringia and Saxony was a great success. It could be a model for introducing it nationwide,” says Ramona Pop. The VZVB is calling on the federal government to introduce a nationwide repair bonus—and to extend it to more products.
France’s model: a nationwide repair bonus
France shows us what a straightforward, nationwide repair bonus could look like. They have been offering a bonus for repaired electrical appliances since December 2022. It is extremely easy for consumers to receive the bonus: the amount is deducted from a customer’s invoice by the repair company, reports the Center for European Consumer Protection. This system means that receiving the bonus in France doesn’t require any paperwork.
In November, the system was also extended to shoes and clothing. And the French anti-discard law goes even further: additional product categories are to be gradually included in the bonus system, including furniture, tools, sports equipment and bicycles.
In Austria, there is also a nationwide EU subsidy for repairs. The program is applicable for all household electrical appliances and covers half of the repair costs up to a maximum of 200 euros per appliance. According to the city administration, more than 35,000 items have been repaired in Vienna since September 2020. These repairs have saved around 850 tons of CO2 and around 355 tons of waste.
One challenge in Austria is that the repair bonus can only be redeemed at certain partner businesses. Some locations have a long wait for repairs due to the small number of registered businesses. However, the number of participating businesses is now to be increased step by step through targeted letters and advertising measures by the chambers of commerce.
As of October, California has introduced a right to repair law. Because the US state is home to many technology companies, the new repair regulations will have repercussions beyond California. Devices bought across the US will now have more possibilities for repair.
Who’s paying for the repair bonus?
- The German systems are financed exclusively by taxpayers’ money.
- Austria, on the other hand, pays the repair bonus with EU funds.
- In France, the polluter-pays principle (pollueur-payeur) makes manufacturers responsible. If companies manufacture or sell products that fall under extended producer responsibility, they must also finance or organise waste disposal or recycling. This money flows into funds that are used to finance the repair bonus, among other things.
More speed for the right to repair
Overall, the repair bonus is an important way to incentivise repairing instead of throwing away. And as well as protecting resources, an increase in repairs also supports local tradespeople.
However, the amount of cost covered is still very low. Larger, but possibly worthwhile repairs are not covered. In Germany, there is also a considerable amount of bureaucracy involved in obtaining the bonus.
In addition, the continuation of the repair bonus in Germany in 2025 is not guaranteed. But there is hope: Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has announced that a national repair law will be presented this year. However, the law hasn’t been drafted yet.
In any case, consumers do not seem averse to repairs. According to a survey commissioned by BUND in 2023, 62 percent of respondents would have carried out more repairs if there had been a national repair bonus.
Repair Cafés and other repair programmes receive funding
From December 2024, voluntary initiatives that enable consumers to repair defective products can apply for their own funding. More information here: “Repairing instead of throwing away” funding programme.
In order to move towards a genuine circular economy, it would make sense to extend subsidies to all product groups. Another lever could also be tax benefits for repairs. “Consumers should have the right to have all their products and appliances repaired,” says Ramona Pop. “If the EU is serious about the right to repair, it should pick up the pace.”
But until then, there are practical steps we can take. In this article, you will find tips on how to reduce your e-waste: The environmental problem of e-waste—and what we can do about it.
