This is a brilliant initiative. Tax is an effective instrument to change behavior. What if it becomes cheaper to repair something than to buy something new? That’s what Sweden plans to achieve with a new law that halves the tax paid on repairs and increases taxes on unrepairable items. The new proposals come from the ruling coalition of the Social Democrat and Green parties, and if successfully enacted, would be accompanied by a publicity campaign to encourage Swedes to repair products instead of replacing them.
This article was originally published on September 23, 2016
