The European Union wants to give consumers the right to have worn-out products like washing machines and televisions repaired by producers even after the sales guarantee has expired, to cut waste and make goods last longer.
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This is how it was many, many years ago, when goods were made to last, but then manufactures saw that the buying market was not taking place as they wished it to. Then technology moved so fast that many items were out of date as you bought them, certainly, mobile phones for the advertising encouraged this.
It was thought resources would be never ending, but we see now, hopefully, not too late, that resources are running out or by harvesting them Earth is being destroyed and so in time our own lifetime on Earth.
Yes, what the EU is doing is welcomed, but as usual they have not thought it through, so is the case with any government.
To make goods last longer their prices will increase and so will costs of any repairs thereby causing many people to not afford to do so or will escalate the ‘cost of living’ which so many of us wish for it to decrease.
Yes, manufacturer Warranties should be increased to well more than 2 years for that is when many products tend to require repairs if any are currently possible. But longer Warranties will also increase costs of products, maybe making them out of reach for many, which could have been another reason for the growth of our throw away culture.
What is required is not just one action, but many actions from various areas, Governments, manufacturers and the buying public.
Governments making decrees will only cause more unrest, they need to take everyone with them, but means they for once need to listen and not just carry on regardless, but that is not the government way, any government.
61chrissterry 