Right to Repair
Right to Repair refers to EU and US legislative frameworks requiring manufacturers to make spare parts, diagnostic tools, and repair information available to independent repairers and consumers, extending the repairability and economic useful life of devices.
Right to Repair regulation directly affects refurbishment economics by improving access to genuine spare parts at reasonable cost. When manufacturers are required to supply parts independently of authorised service networks, refurbishers can repair a broader range of fault types and recover more devices to resaleable condition rather than routing them to parts harvesting or recycling. The EU Right to Repair directive adopted in 2024 covers smartphones and tablets explicitly, making it a significant regulatory tailwind for the European recommerce sector.