National Repair Days event dates

The 4th edition of the National Repair Days will take place from October 15 to 18. Organized by the HOP (Halte à l'obsolescence programmée) association and the Make.org Foundation, the event will bring together more than 45 local authorities around the topic of repair in territories.

Promoting repair as eco-citizenship

The objective of the National Repair Days is to raise awareness among the general public of the interest in repairing rather than replacing and to make repair a habit of eco-citizenship. Over four days, events and workshops will be offered throughout France to encourage individuals to prioritize repair over replacing their items.

Growth of the repair sector

According to Anne-Charlotte Bonjean, coordinator of the Sustainability and Resources pole within the ADEME's Eco-design and Recycling service, the 2022 Repair Panorama reported a slight increase in the number of repair structures. More than 54,000 repair professionals welcoming the public are currently listed in France.

Repair accessibility varies by region

The distribution of repairers also varies by territory. According to Anne-Charlotte Bonjean, the offer generally follows the distribution of the population: some areas have a complete offer, while others are less covered. The goal would be that every citizen can access a repair service located within a maximum of 15 kilometers from their home.

ADEME platform for repair solutions

The ADEME's "Que faire de mes objets et déchets" platform allows users to find solutions to extend the lifespan of everyday objects, from textiles to electronic equipment, including furniture. Among the listed professionals, nearly 6,700 are labeled to allow their customers to benefit from the Repair Bonus, a financial aid directly deducted from the invoice.

Challenges to repair adoption

According to a study conducted by the ADEME in 2024, 43% of the French people believe that the repair offer is too little known to the general public. Cost is an important barrier to repair. "The consumer needs to know that his investment in repair will allow him to significantly extend the lifespan of his product and that he will not be financially disadvantaged compared to replacing the product," says Anne-Charlotte Bonjean.

Repair Bonus encourages repairs

The Repair Bonus, a lever to encourage repair, is a public initiative funded by private funds. This program allows reducing the cost of repairs carried out by labeled professionals. More than a third of the beneficiaries would not have repaired their product without this bonus.

Promoting repair through communication

Better promoting repair solutions is highlighted by Anne-Charlotte Bonjean as essential to encourage the French to repair more. She emphasizes the importance of communication and word-of-mouth. Experience reports on repair can help encourage other consumers to repair their items.

Local involvement in repair promotion

The National Repair Days will be an opportunity to promote existing solutions and encourage the French to repair their items rather than replace them. Local actors, such as municipalities or intercommunalities, can contribute to better promoting repair solutions by facilitating the organization of events closer to the residents, such as Repair Cafés.

Collaboration with market actors

The ADEME, with the "Que faire de mes objets et déchets" team, is also trying to mobilize market actors, especially online sellers, so that they can direct their customers to local repairers and contribute to extending the lifespan of products.