After months of procrastination and debate, the French government has finally decided: January 1, 2025 will mark the entry into force of an ecological bonus-malus system for smartphones. A measure that is intended to be ambitious but which, on closer inspection, risks sounding pschitt. Decryption of a device that is already making people cringe.
A bonus for (very) good students, but no sanction for bad ones
The initial idea was attractive: reward virtuous manufacturers and penalize poor performers in terms of repairability. But between intentions and reality, there is a world of difference.
Ultimately, the system comes down to a bonus of 20 euros for smartphones displaying a repairability index of at least 9.2/10. In other words, the cream of the crop. And we’re not talking about the most advanced models of the moment like the iPhone, Google Pixel or Galaxy S. Only a few hand-picked models will be eligible for this discount, like the Fairphone or certain devices from the Crosscall brand.
As for the penalty initially planned for the least repairable devices? Forgotten! Faced with pressure from industrialists, the government preferred to throw in the towel. So no more financial penalty for smartphones that are difficult to repair. Apple, Samsung and others can sleep soundly.
A limited impact on the wallet… and on the environment
In all cases, a reduction of 20 euros represents a tiny part of the budget devoted to a smartphone. Especially when the average purchase price continues to rise. In 2024, the French budget allocated to the purchase of their smartphone will be around 400 euros with models that can cost more than 1,000 euros. It is then difficult to achieve the initial objective: to direct consumers towards more sustainable products.
Even more absurd: the financing of this bonus will be done via an increase in the eco-contribution levied on each device sold. Concretely, the price will increase from 2 cents to 2.56 euros for smartphones. An increase that will affect all consumers, whether they opt for a “virtuous” model or not.
The reconditioned, largely forgotten by the reform
In this story, the absence of the reconditioned is a task. While buying a second-hand smartphone is recognized as the possible ecological gesture, these devices will not benefit from any advantage. A situation denounced by Back Market, a major player in the sector, in the columns of World :
It is very problematic and even counterproductive that reconditioned products are not recognized as virtuous products to be favored, even though new products can benefit from up to 40 euros in bonuses.
Worse still, the increase in the eco-contribution will also apply to refurbished devices. Enough to reduce their attractiveness compared to new products whose price will potentially fall thanks to the bonus.
Faced with this ludicrous situation, the Ministry of Ecological Transition is defending itself. He argues that it is possible to create “entry-level models with a good repairability index”. A vision somewhat disconnected from industrial reality.
Because significantly improving the repairability of a smartphone requires significant investments. Costs which are inevitably reflected in the final price. Not to mention that producing a new device, however repairable it may be, remains more harmful to the environment than turning to reconditioned equipment.
Furthermore, this policy risks leading to the emergence of a two-speed market, with premium eco-designed products on one side and low-cost devices that are difficult to repair on the other.
This bonus-malus version light looks more like a publicity stunt than a real ecological revolution. A missed opportunity to really shake up the practices of an industry not really known for its environmental commitment.
It remains to be seen whether this timid first step will be followed by other, more ambitious measures. The ministry is already talking about the introduction of a sustainability index in the calculation of premiums. It would take into account criteria such as resistance to falls or the aging of batteries. Ah, the promises…
- From January 1, 2025, a bonus of €20 for smartphones with a repairability index of at least 9.2/10 will be applied
- No penalty for poorly repairable devices, contrary to what was initially planned
- Refurbished smartphones are excluded from the system, despite their ecological interest
