France doubles cash bonus for repairing appliances. How can I benefit?

The French government is to double the cash incentive to encourage people to repair broken electrical goods rather than throw them away.

The scheme was first launched last December, but the amount given will double later this year.

Read more: France to launch grants for people to repair home electronic goods

Amounts vary depending on the item being repaired, but from July, there will be €30 available for an item such as a vacuum cleaner and up to €90 for a computer.

The government hopes this will boost the uptake of the scheme. In four months, just €500,000 of the available €62 million ring-fenced for the scheme has been used.

Junior Minister for Ecology Bérangère Couillard told Sud Radio: “The reparation bonus isn’t working well enough. We need a better dynamic.”

She said, however, that the scheme started with 400 repair sites and now has 1,200. She said: “Our objective is to achieve 4,000 by the end of the year.”

Currently, repairers say that most people are not aware of the system.

Marc Théau, a repairer at electronic goods company Murphy, told FranceInfo: “We have clients who are pleasantly surprised when we offer them a discount of €20-25 for [a washing machine repair].”

What is the repair discount?

The repair discount is a government aid scheme that gives consumers money off if they repair a broken electronic item rather than buy a new one.

The aim is to help people get more use out of their existing items and avoid needless recycling or new purchases, which use more resources. The main goal is to help the environment and reduce electronic waste.

The amount of aid you can receive depends on the item, but it currently varies from €10 to €45. From July, it will rise from €20 to €90.

Items in the scheme include (non-exhaustive list):

• Coffee machine
• Kettle
• Electric scooter
• Garden equipment, including mowers
• Games console
• Mobile phone
• Vacuum cleaner
• Laptop or computer
• Washing machine

How can I benefit from the repair discount?

You need to take your item (or organise a repair) to a repairer that is a certified member of the scheme.

You can find the closest one to you on the scheme’s website.

You will then need to take your item to the repairer and arrange a price that includes the discount. Listed repairers will be aware of the scheme and should be able to let you know how much you are entitled to, depending on your item.

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