In a move toward enhancing product sustainability, France has introduced a new sustainability index for electrical and electronic products. Building on the existing repairability index, this measure aims to provide consumers with a clearer understanding of product durability.

Over the course of 2025, a new label will become part of the packaging of certain electrical and electronic products. Called the sustainability index, it builds on the repairability index introduced for smartphones, laptops, televisions, lawnmowers, and window washing machines in 2021, and later extended in 2022 to include top-loading washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, and high-pressure cleaners.

The new index will add to the previous criteria and include a scoring system to give a clear picture of a product’s sustainability rating. Scored from zero to 10, it measures two critical aspects: repairability and reliability. Repairability evaluates factors like the accessibility of technical documentation, ease of disassembly, and the availability and cost of spare parts. Reliability, on the other hand, considers resistance to wear and tear, ease of maintenance, warranty duration, and overall quality. Together, these criteria paint a comprehensive picture of a product’s longevity and environmental impact.