Cost of appliances could go up says coalition of retailers

A coalition of retailers is calling on Quebec to delay the implementation of the final phase of the province’s consumer protection bill.

Bill 29 aims to better protect consumers by establishing a legal warranty of good working order for appliances.

The warranty for stoves, fridges and freezers is six years. Washer, dryer and dishwasher warranties are for five years. It will be a four-year warranty for a TV and three years for a laptop or cell phone.

The coalition expects this will lead to a price increase.

“Depending on the duration of warranty that is required, we think it’ll be anywhere between a 10 to a 30 per cent increase,” Anthony Amiel, Corbeil Appliances President, said. “It all depends on the quality of the build and how long the warranty will need to be honoured for it.”

The coalition wants a delay until 2027.

Amiel says there is a lack of technicians to repair appliances. In addition, with longer warranties, manufacturers could increase their prices. Those higher costs will be passed on to the consumer.

“Manufacturers who need to honour a five or six-year warranty will build in those potential costs into the base value of the product and the base price of the product that they sell to retailers, and that retailers then sell to consumers,” Amiel said.

Option Consommateur points out that Bill 29 was passed in 2023, giving retailers years to prepare.

Sara Eve Levac says Quebec has had legal warranty laws since 1978.

“Now the legal warranty has no set period so if I buy a fridge, the law says that it has to have a reasonable lifespan and tribunals have said that it will be 10, 12 or 15 years, depending on the fridge,” Levac, a lawyer with Option Consommateur, said.

Levac says the new law helps with clarity.

“The warranty of good working order will make it clear that a fridge has to work for six years,” Levac said. “This information will have to be given to consumers when they go to the store to buy their fridge.”

CTV contacted Simon Jolin-Barette’s office, who tabled the bill, but did not receive a comment by deadline.

The coalition of retailers is not against Bill 29, but says it wants a meeting with Quebec and manufacturers to help protect consumers’ purchasing power.