Repair Festival Aotearoa is fast approaching, spanning 5–27 September and boasting repair cafés and repair workshops across the motu. We’re using the occasion to look at the right to repair movement, what’s happening in NZ’s repair economy and policy landscape, and how your business can get involved.
The right to repair movement is a global push to give consumers the legal right to fix the products they own, rather than being forced to replace them when they break. It has gained significant momentum overseas in recent years, with the EU’s Right to Repair Directive being the most ambitious legislation so far. Applying from 31 July 2026, the Directive creates mandatory repairability requirements across ten product categories, including dishwashers, phones, and tablets. This Directive is important to NZ businesses operating in global supply chains, but also signals something bigger: a major economy has now set the precedent, and the pressure is on for everyone else to step up to the plate.
So, where is Aotearoa in terms of right to repair? You might remember the Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill that passed its first reading in early 2025 and was referred to select committee. The Bill proposed amending the Consumer Guarantees Act so consumers could require suppliers to repair defective goods within a reasonable time rather than replace them, and would have required manufacturers to provide repair information, spare parts, software, and tools on request. Over 1,250 public submissions were received, with more than 95% backing the Bill and its aims. We also co-authored an open letter of support alongside organisations like Sustainable Business Network, Eco Choice Aotearoa and Circularity. Unfortunately, the select committee majority concluded that the Bill was unworkable in its current form, which means Aotearoa has no right to repair mandate – though several government MPs voiced support for the Bill’s intent, leaving the door open for a revised version in future.
As you can imagine, we’re big fans of repair at Go Well Consulting and, alongside many others, were extremely frustrated by this government’s decision not to further the Right to Repair amendment. In addition to the open letter we mentioned above, we’ve worked with several clients on their repair programmes (including Kowtow and Nature Baby) and we even hosted our own Repair Café in Ponsonby a few years back. We know that repair is absolutely critical to a circular economy — and that a circular economy is absolutely critical for solving climate change and achieving a sustainable future. For businesses, getting ahead of repairability isn’t just about being ready of the law changes – “A thoughtfully designed right-to-repair program can keep fickle customers engaged and unlock new revenue streams.” Companies that build repair, spare-parts access, and take-back schemes into their business model extend customer relationships past the point of sale, build real customer goodwill and brand reputation, and open up new revenue through spare parts, refurbishment, and resell. As global manufacturers adjust to EU rules, NZ businesses that align early avoid a scramble later and can market repairability as a point of difference right now, before the rest of the market is forced to act.
Consumers, investors, and regulators are all converging on the same expectation: products that last, and companies that stand behind them. The EU has already moved, and New Zealand can be expected to follow — so how is your business engaging in the right to repair movement? This September, get involved: visit a repair café near you, find an event through Repair Network Aotearoa, or get in touch with us to talk through what circular economy readiness looks like for your business.
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AI Disclaimer: This article was drafted by Go Well Consulting, with Claude assisting on research, phrasing suggestions, and copyediting.
Written by Kate Lodge, Senior Sustainability Advisor at Go Well Consulting.