Sustainability Index for TVs: What’s Its Role?

Since January 8, 2025, televisions must display a "sustainability index" indicating their potential for extended use and longevity. Does this new regulation increase your interest in purchasing a sustainable TV?

A New Index to Enlighten Consumers

As of January 8, 2025, electronic products now feature a “sustainability index”, mandated by the 2020 “anti-waste” law, with televisions being the first to require this rating.

This measure aims to inform consumers about “the potential to extend the lifespan and usability of the device,” according to the Ministry of Ecological Transition.

How is This Index Calculated?

The index is determined by several factors including the availability and cost of spare parts, ease of maintenance and repair, “disassemblability,” and durability against wear and tear.

Practically, it translates to a rating from 1 to 10, color-coded from red to green. A device with a red rating of 1.5/10 is considered not very durable, whereas a green rating of 9/10 indicates high durability.

A Step Towards Responsible Consumption

Beyond the rating itself, vendors must provide customers with the scoring chart that helped determine the reparability index, symbolized by a colored hourglass. This allows consumers to understand how the product performs in each evaluated category.

Currently mandatory for televisions, this index will also apply to washing machines starting April 8, 2025. The organization Stop Planned Obsolescence (HOP) has praised this initiative but criticized the exclusion of smartphones from the scheme.

In summary, this sustainability index serves as a valuable tool to promote more responsible consumption and combat waste.