The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that it is considering updating its energy labelling rules to require manufacturers to provide repair manuals and is seeking feedback on labelling rules to help consumers buy energy-efficient home appliances.
“We look forward to hearing from the public on our initiative to reduce energy costs, promote competition and strengthen repairability. As prices rise, the Commission will continue to take aggressive action to protect consumers’ pocketbooks and strengthen their right to repair their own products,” Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in the press release.
According to the FTC, it takes into account that many consumers buy their appliances online, while regulatory rules only require manufacturers to put labels on physical appliances such as dishwashers and refrigerators.
In addition, the FTC is considering expanding the types of appliances that must carry the familiar yellow EnergyGuide labels, including clothes dryers, air purifiers, cooktops, electric spas and others.
According to the FTC, it wants comments that specifically “address whether lack of access to repair instructions for covered products is an existing problem for consumers, whether providing such information would help consumers in their purchasing decisions or product use, whether providing such information would be unduly burdensome to manufacturers, and any other relevant issues.”
Anyone wishing to comment online can go to https://www.regulations.gov while the Right-to-repair legislation is working its way through the Senate and several state houses.
The sources for this piece include an article in Vice.