It’s safe to say the last few decades have been filled by a tide of consumerism in the West. Many of us now buy products with little thought and throw them away with little more, mainly thanks to lower prices and higher disposable incomes.
We’re on a never ending consuming loop of brand new smartphones every couple of years and cheap flat-pack furniture. And with a few clicks, we can essentially buy just about anything delivered to our door within 24 hours.
But, it appears the tide is turning when it comes to trying to make items last longer.
A combination of environmental concerns over items that are hard to break down ending up in landfill alongside more spare time in the pandemic has seen a rise in people buying refurbished items or undertaking FIY – fix-it-yourself.
FIY: Popular shows such as The Repair Shop (starring Dominic Chinea, right) could be encouraging a new wave of people willing to fix-it-yourself
When it comes to the latter, I’m in a generation of largely lazy people who are losing core skills that our grandparents employed with their eyes closed. Things like sewing and simple repair work.
A case in point: I was flummoxed changing an inner tube of a bicycle wheel recently.
‘I’m an office worker, I’m not good at general handyman work and don’t have the time,’ is an excuse I’ve personally bandied about far more frequently in recent years.
However, it is not all doom and gloom. I’m also in the internet and television generation.
Youtube is filled with short videos showing you how to repair just about anything (within reason – some goods, especially those connected to the mains, require experts).
Meanwhile television is now awash with inspiring shows which transform old items destined for the dump. Think The Repair Shop and Mend It for Money.
My dad taught me how to fix an inner tube in my teens, but I clearly wasn’t paying much attention and my bike usage has dwindled considerably since then. Youtube stepped in and made me realise that I can do these things – I just lack the immediate knowhow.
And lockdown has given me more time to learn. I’m wondering if more people are finding this magic combination.
This week, Consumer Trends looks at the FIY and refurbishing trend as the Government reveals plans to reduce the 1.5million tonnes of electrical waste Britain produces each year, along with a new bike repair voucher scheme.
Mending appliances a hit with younger generation
One company which has seen a boom in activity since lockdown began is eSpares.
The retailer sells parts for appliances and gives access to 9,000 product manuals – ideal for those who have inherited appliances in a new home without the right paperwork, or have simply misplaced it.
It also has more than 700 articles and 600 videos to help people do repairs. With some households perhaps reluctant to have people enter their home, they have chosen to learn how to make repairs themselves.
ESpares says there was a 34 per cent increase in visits to its YouTube channel last year while it had record traffic and sales, peaking in December.
Andrew Sharp of the firm said: ‘The impact of the pandemic has undoubtedly spurred people on to start mending white goods and other appliances themselves.
‘With people spending more time at home, many turned to the internet for guidance on DIY. Step-by-step video repair tutorials are now available to help solve pretty much anything that could go wrong around the home
‘But it’s not just being stuck around the house that’s driving this trend. The younger generation are increasingly eco-conscious.
‘By fixing these appliances themselves, they are helping to reduce the huge amount of waste that goes to landfill each year, and we can see how this group is embracing the “make do and mend” attitude.’
It says that from first lockdown start at the end of March to June, it had a 97 per cent surge in the number of spare parts being sold for household goods, when compared to the same period a year earlier.
As a case in point, it says an upsurge in oven usage as people turned to baking and cooking was reflected as sales of oven bulbs and fan oven elements rocketed in May 2020 when compared to February, up 123 per cent and 83 per cent respectively.
Bike vouchers are back and new rules for spare parts
It’s safe to say the Government is trying to nudge us to go greener. Yesterday, a third tranche of £50 fix your bike vouchers were made available in England.
This time, 150,000 vouchers are available and it is aimed at those who may not otherwise be able to afford to get their bike repaired.
Halfords, which accepts the vouchers, says that in the last 12 months it has carried out 750,000 repairs or services on older bikes as people look to resurrect rather than buy new.
It also says that customers have bought 45 per cent more tyres and inner tubes, suggesting that many are continuing to repair their bikes during the winter months and are getting ready to get back on their bike in time for spring.
The Government also revealed this week that from the summer, people will have a right to repair on goods they buy.
Many households have complained that core household items such as fridges, televisions and washing machines should last longer than they do, and when they go wrong cannot be easily fixed.
Ministers have promised to bring in EU rules aimed at reducing the need for new materials. Instead, manufactures will be legally obliged to make spare parts for products available directly to consumers for the first time.
It is believed this can help the lifespan of products by up to 10 years and help make a dent in the 1.5million tonnes of electrical waste generated in Britain each year.
Kwasi Kwarteng, Business and Energy Secretary, said: ‘Our plans to tighten product standards will ensure more electrical goods can be fixed rather than thrown on the scrap heap – putting more money back in the pockets of consumers whilst protecting the environment.’
On yer bike: A fresh batch of bicycle repair vouchers available in England have been issued by the Government
Refurbished item sales rocket
People are looking to shop more consciously in Britain, according to eBay. One of these trends is snapping up refurbished items. It says it sold one every 14 seconds in the last year.
These are items returned with little or no damage, expertly restored and vetted to work like new, and then put in original or new packaging with accessories and new manuals. They come with a 12-month guarantee.
The online marketplace says refurbished laptops searches are up 75 per cent, chairs 48 per cent and coffee machines 35 per cent. It has now launched a certified refurbished hub section of its website, which includes brands such as Dyson and Panasonic.
It says shoppers can save up to 30 per cent on the retail price and at the same time have a positive impact on the environment, with items being redirected from landfill and given a new lease on life.
Matt Potter, from eBay UK, said: ‘The demand for refurbished items has soared in the last year as it is a more affordable way to shop ‘like-new’ items from top brands without the heavy price tag.’
Freebies and upcycling opportunities…
In the first lockdown, I gave a new lease of life to an old cabinet destined for the dump or to be sold online for peanuts. It was given to me by a family member who downsized and couldn’t fit it in their new home.
But, with the help of a Youtube tutorial video and some copper paint, I sanded it down and gave it a new lease of life. It now sits proudly in our dining room.
Would I have done this without some extra time I’ve had from not going on the commute? I’m not so sure it would have been on my weekend priority list.
This upcycling trend has swelled in popularity in the last decade. You can pick-up bargains for free or next to nothing on websites like Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle and Gumtree, to then restore and give a new lease of life.
If you have even a slight creative eye and the knowhow, this can be an excellent hobby and even a money-making opportunity (and one I go into more detail about in my upcoming book: Never Go Broke).
A large part of this circular economy has been the internet, making items like this more visible but also housing tutorial videos for almost everything.
I also get the impression people now want more individualist looking furniture and home décor, instead of having the same goods as everyone else in their home.
The pandemic has created many trend shifts – and breathing life into items destined to be binned is a positive one.
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