This article was updated on 24 September 2024 (more information on repair bonus Austria)
More and more countries are experimenting with a repair bonus: a scheme where consumers can get money back when they have a broken item repaired. The German state of Thuringia is currently the only one where this bonus also applies in the Repair Café.
Scheme reimburses 50 percent of the cost of a spare part
Thuringia recently launched its ‘Reparaturbonus 3.0‘. In this scheme, the bonus now also applies in Repair Cafés for the first time. Through the scheme, consumers can request a refund of 50 percent of the cost of a spare part that was needed for their repair. They have to purchase the spare part themselves. At the Repair Café, they receive a repair certificate, which they must submit along with the invoice for the spare part.
The Thuringian Ministry of Environment and the Thuringian Consumer Advisory Center aim to promote DIY repairs and support local volunteer initiatives with this scheme.
Repair bonus introduced earlier in Austria and France
Austria was the first country to introduce the repair bonus in April 2022. It was an immediate success. According to the Austrian government, 560,000 devices were repaired in the first year through the voucher system. The bonus has also applied to bicycle repairs since September 2024.
In France, a test of a similar system for repairing electrical and electronic products began in December 2022. This year, it will be expanded to include textile and shoe repairs.
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