Responsible consumption covers many areas, not least the ecological impact of consumption, but also its social, economic and health impact. Responsible consumption therefore means "consumption that is more respectful of the environment, but also of social and economic equity".
The Directorate for Consumer Protection contributes to the development of an appropriate framework to promote responsible consumption.
As a political player, it acts on the level of governance. It has defined transversal consumer support as the heart of its duties in order to bring it in line with new lifestyles in which responsible consumption is a priority.
The Directorate for Consumer Protection will undertake the following actions in support of consumer interests:
- Collaboration with public and private organisations working within the field of responsible consumption
- Support for projects contributing to information and awareness for responsible consumption
- Implementation of awareness-raising tools for responsible consumption
- Clarification of the legal context for warrantees applying to repaired objects and the responsibilities of repairers
- Support for innovative national projects concerning repairs
- Promotion of trades that focus on the repair of goods
- Support of projects within the field of responsible fashion
Informing the consumers
The aim of the Directorate for Consumer Protection is to provide the necessary information to consumers to allow them to take informed decisions.
The Directorate’s objective is to enhance transparency in this area because the levels of interdependency are great and not always visible at first glance.
Consumers make their own decisions. The Directorate wishes to provide consumers with tools to enlighten them about the complex nature of their consumption behaviour and potential consequences thereof.
Carbon footprint calculator
The Directorate for Consumer Protection has developed an individual carbon footprint calculator. Thanks to this tool, consumers are able to assess their environmental impact based on their consumption habits, enabling them to make more conscious decisions for the future of our planet.
Ready to explore the site's features and calculate your own carbon footprint? Go to myimpact.lu!
Escape room
Other projects are also in the pipeline, including an escape room dedicated to responsible consumption, with a particular focus on young people. This innovative, fun approach will enable knowledge and values to be passed on in an interactive way. We firmly believe that education is the key to shaping future behaviour and creating a more environmentally-friendly society.
Repair bonus
At the end of March 2023, the European Commission published a proposal for a directive aimed at promoting the repair of goods, while encouraging governments and businesses to offer repair options for electronic devices. In this respect, the introduction of a repair bonus for consumers, promoting the repair of devices rather than throwing them away, is undoubtedly a key element in the fight against the proliferation of electronic waste.
Some Luxembourg municipalities already offer their residents a bonus for repairing certain appliances (e.g. household appliances) and the Luxembourg government is studying the feasibility of introducing a repair bonus at national level.
Repair-Cafés
The Directorate for Consumer Protection also wants to promote the establishment of repair-cafés at local level, to offer citizens opportunities to repair and share skills, thus encouraging learning and collaboration in the field of repair. We want to create a culture of reuse and recovery of objects, promoting a circular economy within our communities.
Sustainable food system
The European Commission’s communication on its Farm to Fork Strategy underscores the connections between people, companies and a healthy environment. It sets forth a series of measures for the entire food chain to create a more sustainable food system.
Social and economic considerations, raising the profile of farmers in the value chain, increased awareness of animal welfare, protecting biodiversity and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the war in Ukraine have raised the importance of resilient supply chains.
A draft law for the creation and coordination of a food policy has been issued. The objective is to guarantee cohesion between the various national food policies and strategies for the benefit of consumers, producers and processing plants.