Meeting the effects of throwaway culture

Oct 26 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

IN A bid to curb the rise of the throwaway culture associated with white goods, a North East firm has flown 6,000 miles East to the heart of the problem.

Although the recession may have offset sales of large goods such as washing machines and fridges, the world faces long term landfill problems as increasingly affordable items are thrown away and replaced rather than repaired.

The emergence of manufacturing powerhouses such as China and India in recent decades has meant goods can be mass produced quickly and cheaply – and thrown away without a second thought.

However, leaders of a County Durham business have been called in as high level advisers to help stave off an impending landfill crisis by encouraging manufacturers to make longer lasting goods.

Representatives of Chester-le-Street repair firm 0800 Repair have been touring the Far East to advise some of the largest white goods manufacturers in the world.

Acting on behalf of a number of electric retail giants such as Argos, Panasonic and LG Electronics, the company has been working to help reduce the number of items such as washing machines and fridges which break down or are returned.

The business, which travelled to China and Hong Kong, met with Asian manufacturers to help them better understand the UK market and the expectations of British customers.

0800 Repair deals with domestic and commercial repairs and is currently undergoing a period of rapid growth as it looks to add 60 new members of staff to its team of around 100 over the next year. The company’s tour of the Far East, which will be followed by a similar tour next year, took in the Canton Fair in China and the Hong Kong Electronics Fair which featured 3,400 exhibitors.

Managing director Paul Feek, who attended the trip, said: “We went out there to steal a march on the market in the UK. We assess the products coming to the UK and advise the buyers from the supermarkets.

“We decided to do it to try and steal a march on our competitors. We look at the product to see if it’s stable for the market as you’ve got to make sure the product is user friendly.

“Our clients are also keen to learn about issues such as failure rates or products. If the goods don’t fit the bill we can put processes in place to rectify problems and stop these products being returned.”