New Delhi: The government will introduce star ratings for consumer goods, such as appliances, to indicate repairability, a move that aims to widen the Centre’s right-to-repair initiative and reduce electronic waste, union minister of food and consumer affairs Pralhad Joshi said.
In July this year, the department of consumer affairs launched the right-to-repair portal to provide consumers with easy access to information about repair and reuse of products, thereby helping to promote a circular economy and bring down e-waste.
India is estimated to have generated 5 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, ranking just behind China and the US, according to an ASSOCHAM-EY report, titled Electronic Waste Management in India.
“Under the right-to-repair initiative, the government will introduce star ratings for products based on their repairability and durability, just like energy-efficiency ratings on electronic items. This is a move to not just empower consumers but also to promote sustainability,” Joshi told HT on Wednesday.
A Circular economy refers to a model of production and consumption, which prioritises reusing, repairing and recycling of products.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, in its previous term, had formed 11 committees led by various lawmakers to hasten a transition from a linear to a circular economy.
The main idea behind India’s right-to-repair initiative, similar to the norms implemented in EU countries, is geared towards an ecosystem where manufacturers of products offer repair services for components that can be fixed, instead of replacing them.
The consumer affairs department’s right-to-repair portal currently covers four sectors: consumer durables, electronic devices, automobiles and farm equipment. It has onboarded leading brands on to the unified portal, such as Apple, HP Inc and Maruti Suzuki Ltd.
The minister had earlier said that it was a big challenge for consumers to redress their grievances or get refunds from manufacturers and large companies in case of deficiency in service or faulty products compared to other advanced economies.
“Today consumers have recourse to speedy redressal of complaints and refunds. That was the purpose of amending the consumer protection Act. The new law modernises the framework governing consumer protection in the new era of globalization, technologies and e-commerce markets,” the minister said.
Also Read: ‘Right to Repair’ portal: Registered brands, eligible devices, all details here
The right-to-repair move is in keeping with the idea of LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in 2023.
The LiFE idea promotes an “environmentally conscious lifestyle that focuses on mindful and deliberate utilization instead of mindless and wasteful consumption,” an official said, separately.
The consumer affairs department’s repair framework, available on the unified portal, aims to ease access to overhauling services not just by original manufacturers but also by reliable third-party technicians to lower costs and lengthen the shelf life of devices, equipment and home appliances, the official added.
