Understanding the repairability Index
Do you want to reduce your expenses on electronic equipment?
Are you tired of planned obsolescence?
Or are you just worried about our over-consumption society?
Each of us has a good reason for wanting to repair the artifacts that we own rather than discarding them and buying a new one. And yet, it’s not accessible and possible for all of us to manage to fix a broken or malfunctioning artifact on our own, especially if the product is highly technical, requiring a special set of expertise. or contains complex electrical components for example.
What we ultimately want as modern consumers, even if we are trying to be ecologically responsible, is to repair the breakage easily without requiring the services of someone else, and all this while investing the least amount of money and time possible.
The simple truth is that we don’t have the patience to spend hours staring at a tiny manual, almost blindly tinkering with small alien components of a product whose technology is beyond us. Luckily, the creation of the repairability index came to the rescue!
What is the repairability index?
The repairability index was developed by French researchers and practitioners and roughly consists in rating a product according to its ability to be repaired.
How is the repairability index calculated?
It’s fairly simple: we can find a grading scale which goes from 1 to 10; the higher the rating, the more reparable the product.
In most cases, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to calculate the rating of their product. Following the reparability analysis and once the score has been emitted, each product receiving its index must visibly display the score assigned to it (for example on its packaging) in order to be properly marketed, both online and in stores.
How does the repairability index work?
Products subject to the repairability index are evaluated according to 5 criteria:
1. The access to documentation
The first criterion concerns the quality of the documentation provided by the manufacturer. It can take various forms, depending on the choices made along the conception and production process, but it must always allow users (both the people repairing as well as the end consumers) to access information about the product free of charge. This documentation must be provided in a language accessible to all consumers, with the exception of some technical words which cannot be translated. Circuit board schematics, component information, diagnostic information, and technical bulletins should also be provided to complement the information. Now, when it comes to the actual steps needed to begin repairing the product, the manufacturer is free to direct the end-consumer to the experts they would recommend.
2. The ease of the disassembly-reassembly process
The disassembly-reassembly process of a product is always divided into several stages. Each step here can refer to the separation of a component from the overall artifact or even the need to change the tool being used during the operation. In addition, all interventions consisting in securing the artifact or one of its components (e.i. steps needed to turn off electrical current) are also considered as stages.
Furthermore, the repairability index takes into account the overall quality (e.i. stability, durability, etc.) of the fixtures. These refer to additional components or materials that allow several other parts to be held together (e.i. screws, tape, etc.). During the disassembly-reassembly process, these fixtures must be able to be separated easily from the device without damaging the other parts. They must also be easily interchangeable or replaceable if necessary. The repairability index therefore excludes welded or adhesive type fixtures which are not reversible or reusable. When a device has several types of fixtures, which can sometimes happen, the repairability index can also evaluate those that are least conducive to a swift and easy disassembly-reassembly.
3. The accessibility of spare parts
This third criterion assesses the quality of after-sales service for a given product. If a commercialized product has been rated on the reparability index, the manufacturer must make the efforts necessary to make the spare parts needed easily accessible to users. To obtain a good repairability index, the manufacturer or vendor must ensure that these parts are available on the long run and that they are delivered to users who request them within a reasonable time. Similarly to the previous criterion, the rating of the index will be determined according to the most difficult parts to obtain for the user.
4. The price of spare parts
The price of spare parts is also integrated within the repairability index rating. However, the calculations made exclude taxes and do not include transport or delivery costs. Several strategies are made available for manufacturers or vendors to be able to meet these criteria. For example, some components are sometimes sold in sets as opposed to individually. And, to gain points for this fourth criterion, all the parts needed must be readily available on the market.
5. Product specifics
The last criterion assesses the specificities of a product subjected to the repairability index. For example, this criterion can take into account the presence of a use counter, which is a tool internal to the device that allows the consumer to measure the lifespan of the product. The criterion can then assess how the manufacturer communicates with the consumer about potential product updates (for example, were they explicitly explained beforehand or not?). Lastly, the specificity criterion measures the presence of assistance services which can provide consumers with the information needed to repair their devices remotely.
How to interpret the indexes?
The repairability index works in the same way as a nutri-score (index on the quality of food products) or an energy label (index on the energy efficiency of household appliances in Europe). In that sense, the reparability icon represents a wrench on a gear affixed on a colored dot. Additionally, the repairability index adopts a color code, which makes it easier for customers to identify the rating. Therefore, the dot ranges from bright red, for the lowest rated products, to dark green, for the highest rated products within the spectrum of reparability.
What is the ultimate purpose of the reparability index?
In 2022, Montréal-based journal Le Devoir reported data from a survey conducted by the Canadian company Équiterre which revealed that less than 20% of Canadians actually go through the lengths necessary to repair their damaged electronic devices. Among the respondents, several denounced the difficulty of taking apart to repair their products, but also the limited access to the spare parts and tools necessary to achieve this. Others also mentioned the cost of repairs which were another source of frustration and ultimate deterrence.
In France, only 36% of residents claimed to repair their used devices, for reasons equivalent to those identified by the Équiterre survey mentioned above. This is why the Ministry of Ecological Transition adopted in 2021 the repairability index.
The objective of the repairability index is thus to fight against the premature-waste and planned obsolescence of manufactured and commercialized products. It encourages consumers to repair and preserve instead of discarding, leading to the production of overall more durable products. It aims to reduce the frustrations which can emerge within a disassembly-repair-re-assembly process as well as the difficulties encountered when trying to access spare parts and tools. The advantage of this index is that it is easily visibly identifiable to consumers when shopping online or in stores.
Which products are affected by the repairability index?
In France, artifacts subjected to the repairability index only concern electronic products or household appliances.
In fact, since January 1st, 2021, the index could be applied to only to the following 5 products:
- front load washing machines (opening from the front)
- laptops
- televisions
- smartphones
- lawn mowers
In 2022, the French government took the decision to extend this index to 4 new products which are:
- top load washing machines (opening from above)
- dishwashers
- vacuum cleaners (wired, wireless or robots)
- high-pressure cleaners
Here is an example of products rated high within the repairability index:
The Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Pro 2
A long impressive name for a fairly-easily repairable product. Indeed, in September 2022, the Dyson SY26 vacuum received a 7.8/10 repairability index rating based on multiple criteria as can be seen in the rating breakdown taken from the Indice De Réparabilité platform. It is therefore possible to see how each criteria listed previously has been individually studied, measured, and rated, leading to the overall score over 10.
In addition, it is possible to see how a single product can be also segmented or organized into multiple sub-assemblies (ex list 1 and list 2 seen below) to simplify the exercise. The most interesting observation is that each sub-criterion has a different coefficient, thus weighing differently according to its relevance/importance on the overall rating:
Image source: Indicereparabilité.fr https://www.indicereparabilite.fr/produit/aspirateur-filaire-sans-sac-dyson-cinetic-big-ball-animal-pro-2/
The SAMSUNG ecobubble washing machine
Another example is SAMSUNG ecobubble washing machine which received a 8.7/10 rating in November 2020.
As can be seen from the table below, this product has more specific sub-criteria which are different from the ones shown in the Dyson example above. Therefore, the rating exercise - as well as the overall score - can also be adjusted and adapted according to the product’s context (for example within the 5th criterion):
Image source: Indicereparabilité.fr
Which entity calculates the repairability index?
The repairability index score is calculated by the manufacturers or vendors themselves based on documents and tools made available by the French government. The documents needed to calculate the repairability index are available in French and English on the website of the French Ministry of Ecological Transition. Once the data is entered into the system, the calculation grid automatically processes the data entered for each product and then produces an overall score over 10. This score should then be displayed close to the price label if the product is on display in stores, or should be visible on the screen if the product is sold online.
The responsible entities are then free to use the index to promote their product, but they must take into account certain standards to be respected, in particular concerning the design of the pictogram or the font used. In fact, the Graphic Charte is also available in French and English on the website of the French Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Furthermore, all the components, tools, and documents used during the calculation of the repairability index must be preserved. In the event of an inspection by the DGCCRF (the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and the Repression of Fraud), these documents will serve as proof. Lastly, if requested by the customer, the responsible entities should also be able to provide detailed information on the index calculation for their product free of charge.
What is the economic impact of the repairability index?
In an interview for the Ouest-France newspaper, economist Pascale Hébel explained that the consumers most inclined to repair their defective appliances did so more out of ecological conviction rather than out of economic interest. According to Hébel, repairing a product was often more expensive than buying a new one; this is why those who repaired their devices generally belonged to more affluent classes.
However, the repairability index aims to encourage users to restore and repair, rather than discard and buy a new product. It is also part of a political objective to reduce waste on a larger scale. In order to encourage all consumers to meet this objective, the reparability index should ideally make it possible in the long term to make a greater economic gain through the repair of a device rather than in its repurchase.
As far as businesses are concerned, the economic impact of the repairability index will certainly be positive, as it encourages the shift to a circular business model by promoting the “repairable”. In 2017, a survey carried out by international consulting firm McKinsey showed the benefits of a circular economy business model. Of the 28 industries studied by the company, all had improved their ecological performance all while reducing their costs through the application of this business model.
In which countries can the repairability index be found?
In France, iIntroducing and implementing the repairability index is a measure spearheaded by the government with the aim of reducing waste and planned obsolescence. There has yet to be an opportunity of it being exported to other countries to this day. However, several similar initiatives can be found around the world.
In the U.S.A., the Digital Fair Repair Act was adopted in the state of New York to encourage the repair of damaged devices and limit the accumulation of electronic waste. It requires manufacturers to provide all information relating to the repair of used electronic devices. According to Senator Neil Breslin, this law should have positive economic effects by offering more opportunities to smaller businesses, but also offer more choices to consumers, all at a better price.
In Canada, the current legislation is not yet very thorough on waste issues, particularly those relating to used electronic products. However, trends are showing that the current situation might be changing in the upcoming years. Canadians are more and more concerned by issues relating to more responsible consumption models, as shown by this article in the Quebec magazine “L’actualité”, which headlined in May 2021: “we need a repairability index”.
Within the EU, European legislation has recently recognized a right to repair, including several measures to help consumers obtain spare parts more easily and at lower cost.
Overall, there are several movements that are spreading around the world with this same objective, such as that of the Repair Café. This movement born in Amsterdam in 2009 consists of defining a place where people can gather to repair their damaged objects. These places are generally based on a principle of exchange of knowledge and know-how between the users who frequent them. They often have all the tools needed to repair objects as well as strong ethical convictions.
The repairability index thus encourages consumers to feel empowered and able to take the initiative to repair themselves rather than discarding their broken item and buying a new product. This option fights against the premature waste of electronic products and planned obsolescence. This index is a first step towards more sustainable consumption practices. There is no doubt that the years to come will witness the steady emergence of many other similar initiatives around the world.
Now how about you?
How could you make your product repairable? Are you considering integrating this type of approach? And would you be ready to pass the repairability index test?
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