In two years

Repair bonus redeemed almost 150,000 times

Vouchers for smartphone repairs are redeemed most frequently.(Bild: Toyakisfoto.photos - stock.adobe.com)

More and more people are refraining from simply throwing away broken electrical appliances. Since the repair bonus was introduced two years ago, it has already been redeemed almost 150,000 times in Upper Austria - to the benefit of the environment and the economy. Cell phones in particular are being repaired more often thanks to the subsidy.

It can confidently be called a successful project: The repair bonus was introduced in Austria two years ago. Private individuals who do not simply throw away defective electrical and electronic devices but bring them in for repair are reimbursed up to 50 percent of the costs (maximum 200 euros).

840,000 vouchers redeemed throughout Austria
The offer has been eagerly taken up: By December, around 840,000 vouchers had already been redeemed across Austria, according to the office of Stefan Kaineder (Greens), State Councillor for the Environment, where the idea of the repair bonus was born. In Upper Austria, the bonus has been claimed almost 150,000 times so far, with almost 89,000 in 2023 alone.

Four out of ten vouchers for cell phones
Cell phones and smartphones are by far the most frequently brought in for repair - they account for 39% of the vouchers redeemed in Upper Austria. They are followed by dishwashers and washing machines (9% each), espresso and coffee machines (7%) and laptops (5%).

Repairing instead of discarding is not only good for the environment and the climate, it also means we are moving further and further away from the throwaway mentality.

Stefan Kaineder (Grüne), Umweltlandesrat

"With the repair bonus, we are showing that repairing instead of discarding is not only the motto for the environment and the climate, we are also moving further and further away from the throwaway mentality and the support program is providing massive support for the domestic economy," says Kaineder.

Funding will also be available in the coming years
 Anyone wishing to take advantage of the repair bonus can download the relevant voucher from the funding website reparaturbonus.at. The subsidy is processed by the repair business. You can also find out which nearby businesses carry out repairs and accept the voucher via the funding website.

According to Kaineder, the repair bonus should also be secured in the coming years: 130 million euros are available for this from "NextGenerationEU" funds. In addition, 74 million euros will be available from national funds for the years 2024 and 2025.