Towards a Universal Culture of Repair and Re-use in Wales

Wales is ranked second in the world for recycling, so let’s continue our efforts and set the blueprint globally for repair and re-use.

What does a ‘Universal Culture of Repair and Re-use' mean in practice?

Currently, the practice of buying new, using briefly, and disposing quickly is widespread in Wales, as it is in the rest of the UK and other wealthy, Western countries.

Globally, 45% of emissions are attributable to this ‘take-make-use-dispose-repeat’ model.

While the mass production of products, such as clothes, phones and household items, has meant more variety, less cost and greater accessibility, it has also led to significant damage to the environment.

The ’Beyond Recycling Strategy’ in Wales aspires to change this trajectory by moving towards “a universal culture of re-use, repair and remanufacture within our communities and town centres.” Welsh Government’s Programme for Government 2021-2026 commits to develop “80 repair and re-use hubs in town centres” and “promote repair and re-use facilities to encourage zero-waste shopping.”

As part of this wider repair and re-use work, Welsh Government commissioned WRAP to research and produce a set of actions that are needed to move us towards a universal culture of repair and re-use.

This was followed by a public consultation.

The Public Consultation outcome

On behalf of Welsh Government, WRAP invited all Welsh residents, businesses and organisations to share their opinions, insights and expertise on the repair and re-use routemap for Wales.

This consultation was in the form of an online survey, which was open from 31 July to 20 October 2024.

We received 109 responses. In summary, general themes included:

Positive engagement

There was widespread positivity toward proposed initiatives, including setting clear targets and measurements, promoting a "digital home" for repair-related information, and campaigning for and adopting the "right to repair" as a principle.

Concerns

Concerns were raised about digital exclusion, particularly among older populations, and questions about funding mechanisms for services such as pop-ups, mobile borrow services and education initiatives. There were concerns about how to involve young people in the repair and re-use culture, suggesting the need for targeted initiatives to encourage their participation.

Barriers and opportunities

Many stakeholders advocated for greater accountability from producers and manufacturers, coupled with financial incentives to support the repair and re-use ecosystem. Building partnerships and creating synergies between different groups emerged as a priority.

Using the feedback received, we made some changes to the draft report and will use the information provided by the consultation to inform future actions.

A more detailed summary of the consultation feedback can be downloaded below