Crackdown to make all white goods guarantees last longer

FAMILIES could benefit from longer lasting fridges, TVs and washing machines if new regulations come into force.

Spare parts for white goods and electrical appliances would have to be available for a minimum of seven years under plans reportedly being considered by ministers.

Labels may also be required on new machines that clearly show their expected lifespan.

Washing machines last about eight years on average before breaking down and manufacturers do not keep the needed parts for long, meaning the goods cannot be repaired.

Meanwhile, some fridges installed in the 1950s still work more than half a century later.

The proposed changes are to ensure goods last longer and avoid “planned obsolescence” of products, requiring them to be frequently replaced. Consumers and politicians have voiced concerns over the environmental impact of replacing goods more often.

Scottish National Party MP Angela Crawley said: “Planned obsolescence is a cynical marketing strategy and has a damaging impact on the environment as well as consumers.”

She has called on the Government to explain what it is doing to stop the practice of “intentionally shortening the lifespan of consumer products”.

The Department for Business and Energy can suggest new models be built with parts that can be replaced using “commonly available tools, tackling premature obsolescence”.

James Daley, managing director of consumer group Fairer Finance, said:

“It’s good the onus is on companies to produce goods that are better quality and can be easily fixed.”

He also urged ministers to tighten safety standards for appliances sold online, adding: “You might order something and it comes from China – they are not going through the same safety checks.”

The Government is also set to launch green guidance on energy products, expected to go beyond EU rules, under which products conformed while Britain was still part of the bloc.

Saving

A source said: “We will push for products to use less energy, resources and materials, saving carbon and helping households and businesses to reduce bills with minimum effort.”

Ministers are considering responses to two consultations and will publish findings “in due course”.

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy said: “We are committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – including by pushing for products to use less energy, resources and materials – both to tackle climate change and help cut bills.

“Our exit from the EU does not change that and we have consulted on plans to implement new ecodesign requirements from 2021.”