How Right to Repair Laws Affect Manufacturers
Updated: Aug 13
Right to Repair laws are changing the relationship between manufacturers, consumers, and the repair industry.
For manufacturers, these laws can mean new responsibilities. Depending on the jurisdiction and product category, companies may be required to provide access to replacement parts, repair documentation, diagnostic tools, or other resources to consumers and independent repair businesses.
Supporters see these requirements as an important step toward consumer choice and longer-lasting products. Manufacturers, however, have raised concerns about safety, cybersecurity, intellectual property, product liability, and the costs associated with supporting repairs outside their authorized networks.
The effects are therefore more complicated than simply saying that Right to Repair laws are either good or bad for manufacturers.
What Do Right to Repair Laws Require?
Right to Repair is not governed by one universal set of rules.
Different jurisdictions have adopted different approaches, and laws can apply to specific categories of products.
Depending on the legislation, manufacturers may be required to provide access to resources such as:
Replacement parts
Repair manuals
Service documentation
Diagnostic information
Specialized tools
Software or diagnostic tools
Firmware or other repair-related resources
Some laws also address how long certain parts or information must remain available.
The exact requirements depend on the law, the product involved, and the jurisdiction.
This means manufacturers cannot treat Right to Repair as a single regulatory requirement. They have to understand the specific obligations that apply to their products and markets.
Manufacturers May Face Higher Compliance Costs
One of the most direct effects of Right to Repair laws is the potential increase in compliance costs.
Manufacturers may need to develop systems for distributing parts, maintaining repair documentation, providing technical information, and supporting additional repair channels.
They may also need to modify internal processes to ensure that required materials remain available for the period specified by law.
For a large manufacturer, these costs may be manageable.
For smaller companies, however, additional compliance requirements can represent a more significant burden.
This is one reason lawmakers face a difficult balancing act. A repair requirement may provide substantial benefits to consumers, but poorly designed regulations can create disproportionate costs for businesses.
Repair Becomes More Competitive
Right to Repair laws can also change the competitive landscape.
Traditionally, manufacturers have often maintained their own authorized repair networks or relied on approved service providers.
When consumers and independent repair shops gain access to parts, documentation, and diagnostic resources, manufacturers may face more competition in the repair market.
That could put pressure on manufacturer-affiliated repair services to compete on:
Price
Speed
Convenience
Quality
Customer service
From a consumer perspective, this can be a positive development.
Competition gives consumers more choices.
From the manufacturer's perspective, however, it can reduce some of the control that companies have historically had over the repair process.
Manufacturers May Lose Some Repair Revenue
Repair services can represent a source of revenue for manufacturers and their authorized service networks.
If more consumers choose independent repair providers, some of that business may move away from manufacturer-controlled channels.
This is one of the central economic concerns surrounding Right to Repair.
However, the financial impact is not necessarily as simple as manufacturers losing all repair-related revenue.
Some customers may still prefer authorized service because of convenience, perceived quality, warranty considerations, or access to specialized technicians.
Manufacturers can also continue competing by offering strong service programs and customer support.
In other words, Right to Repair may reduce exclusivity in the repair market without eliminating the manufacturer's role in it.
Product Design Could Change
Right to Repair laws may also influence how products are designed.
If manufacturers know that products will need to meet certain repairability requirements, they may have greater incentive to consider repair access during the design process.
That could influence decisions involving:
Replaceable components
Battery accessibility
Fasteners
Modular designs
Diagnostic systems
Availability of replacement parts
Repair documentation
This could be significant because repairability is often determined before a product reaches the consumer.
If a device is designed in a way that makes replacing a common component extremely difficult, providing a repair manual later may not solve the entire problem.
Our view
This is one of the more interesting potential effects of Right to Repair.
Instead of treating repair as something that happens after a product fails, manufacturers may increasingly have to consider repairability as part of the original design process.
That could ultimately produce products that are easier to maintain.
Safety Remains a Major Concern
Manufacturers have legitimate reasons to be concerned about repairs.
Some products contain components that can create serious safety risks if handled incorrectly.
High-voltage batteries, medical equipment, automobiles, agricultural machinery, and other specialized products can require technical expertise.
Manufacturers argue that unrestricted access to repair information or software could result in improper repairs, damaged products, or unsafe conditions.
These concerns should not simply be dismissed.
Right to Repair does not necessarily require manufacturers to ignore safety.
The real policy question is how to distinguish between reasonable safety protections and unnecessary restrictions on repair.
A manufacturer should be able to protect users from genuine hazards. But safety should also be supported by evidence rather than used as a blanket justification for preventing independent repair.
Cybersecurity and Software Concerns
Modern products increasingly depend on software.
A refrigerator can contain connected electronics. Vehicles can rely on computerized systems. Agricultural equipment can use sophisticated software and sensors.
This creates another challenge for Right to Repair.
Manufacturers may be concerned that providing access to diagnostic systems or software could create cybersecurity risks or expose sensitive systems.
These concerns are particularly important for connected products.
At the same time, software restrictions can make legitimate repairs much more difficult.
If a replacement component requires software authorization, calibration, or pairing with the rest of the system, physically replacing the component may not be enough.
This is one area where the Right to Repair debate is likely to become increasingly complicated.
Intellectual Property Is Another Issue
Manufacturers invest heavily in research, engineering, software, and product development.
Some companies argue that broad repair requirements could expose proprietary information or make it easier for competitors to obtain valuable technical knowledge.
Right to Repair laws do not necessarily require companies to disclose everything about a product.
The details depend on the specific legislation.
There is an important distinction between providing a repair manual or diagnostic procedure and requiring a company to publish confidential source code or trade secrets.
Good policy should recognize that distinction.
Protecting legitimate intellectual property does not necessarily require preventing consumers from accessing basic information needed to repair products they own.
Manufacturers May Need to Rethink Their Business Models
Perhaps the most significant long-term effect of Right to Repair is that manufacturers may have to rethink how they view the life of a product.
A traditional model can encourage consumers to replace products when repairs become expensive or unavailable.
A stronger repair market can encourage consumers to keep products longer.
That may affect sales cycles.
But it can also create new opportunities.
Manufacturers could compete through:
Official replacement-part programs
Certified repair networks
Extended service programs
Refurbishment
Remanufacturing
Repair training
Parts distribution
Software-supported diagnostics
In other words, Right to Repair does not necessarily require manufacturers to abandon the repair market.
It may encourage them to compete within a larger one.
Right to Repair Can Also Benefit Manufacturers
The debate often focuses on the burdens placed on manufacturers, but there can be advantages as well.
A repairable product can have a longer useful life and potentially maintain a stronger reputation among consumers.
Manufacturers that embrace repairability may also distinguish themselves from competitors.
Companies could use repairability as a selling point by demonstrating that their products are designed to be maintained rather than quickly replaced.
There may also be opportunities in the growing refurbishment and resale markets.
A product that is easier to repair can be easier to restore and resell.
Environmental Considerations
Longer product lifespans can also have environmental implications.
When products are repaired instead of discarded, fewer products may need to be replaced as frequently.
This can potentially reduce waste and the demand for new manufacturing.
However, repairability alone does not automatically make a product environmentally friendly.
Manufacturing, transportation, energy consumption, recycling, and the environmental impact of replacement parts all matter.
Still, extending the useful life of products is an important part of the broader discussion about electronic waste and resource consumption.
Our view
Manufacturers should not be expected to solve environmental problems through repair laws alone.
But designing products that can realistically be repaired is difficult to reconcile with a system where common failures effectively force consumers to replace the entire product.
The Impact Will Not Be the Same for Every Manufacturer
It is important not to treat manufacturers as one group.
A global electronics company, a small appliance manufacturer, an automobile company, and an agricultural-equipment manufacturer can face very different challenges.
The cost of compliance can vary depending on:
Product complexity
Number of products sold
Product lifespan
Number of markets served
Availability of parts
Existing repair networks
Software requirements
Safety considerations
For this reason, Right to Repair legislation needs to be carefully designed.
A requirement that makes sense for a smartphone may not make sense for a medical device or heavy agricultural machine.
The Real Question Is Control
At the heart of the Right to Repair debate is a question about control.
Who should control the repair process after a product has been sold?
Manufacturers argue that they need sufficient control to protect safety, quality, security, and intellectual property.
Consumers and independent repair advocates argue that ownership should come with meaningful control over maintenance and repair.
Neither position completely answers the question by itself.
Manufacturers should not be forced to accept responsibility for damage caused by improper repairs. At the same time, consumers should not be unnecessarily prevented from choosing where and how legitimate repairs are performed.
The strongest approach is probably somewhere between those extremes.
What Should Manufacturers Do?
Rather than viewing Right to Repair laws solely as a regulatory burden, manufacturers could treat them as an opportunity to improve their products and services.
Companies can prepare by:
Designing products with repairability in mind.
Making legitimate replacement parts accessible.
Providing clear repair documentation where required.
Developing transparent repair programs.
Maintaining strong safety standards.
Protecting legitimate cybersecurity and intellectual-property interests.
Working with independent repair businesses where appropriate.
Clearly explaining warranty and repair policies to consumers.
These steps could help manufacturers adapt without abandoning their legitimate interests.
Our Take: Competition Is Not the Enemy
Right to Repair laws will create challenges for manufacturers.
There may be additional compliance costs. Repair revenue could become more competitive. Companies may have to redesign products and rethink how they manage parts, software, and service networks.
Those concerns are real.
But competition in repair does not automatically mean manufacturers lose.
A company that provides better service, reliable parts, knowledgeable technicians, and well-designed products can still attract customers even when consumers have alternatives.
In our view, manufacturers should not necessarily be given exclusive control over repair simply because they created the product.
If a company builds a product that people depend on, it should be able to protect legitimate safety, security, and intellectual-property interests. But those interests should not automatically justify preventing reasonable repair access.
Right to Repair may ultimately push manufacturers toward a different model: competing not by controlling repair, but by making repair services worth choosing.
Final Thoughts
Right to Repair laws can have a significant impact on manufacturers, but their effects are not entirely negative or positive.
They can increase compliance responsibilities and competition while also encouraging better product design, new repair services, longer product lifespans, and stronger relationships with consumers.
The challenge for lawmakers is creating rules that provide meaningful repair access without ignoring legitimate concerns about safety, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and business costs.
For manufacturers, the long-term lesson may be even more important.
Repair is becoming part of the conversation about product ownership.
Companies that adapt to that reality may find that repairability is not simply a legal requirement—it can become a competitive advantage.
The future of manufacturing may not be about making products that never need repair.
It may be about making products that can be repaired when they do.
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