Reusing items and repairing instead of replacing
The Reusing items and repairing instead of replacing survey examines how willing people are to extend the life of their things rather than buy new. It reveals how often they repair, restore or pass items on, how accessible repair services are locally, and what pushes people toward throwing away and rebuying. Use it to understand real repair behaviour and where circular habits break down.
What the “Reusing items and repairing instead of replacing” survey measures
The template gauges how important extending item lifespan feels and how often people choose repair over replacement, from always to never. It maps regular practices — mending clothes and shoes, giving things away, buying and selling second-hand, repurposing jars and packaging, fixing small parts, using workshops, renting and swapping. It also measures how accessible repair services, spare parts and drop-off points are locally, how convenient repair or reuse feels versus buying new, and the barriers involved: repair costing almost as much as new, no time to find a repairer, low trust in quality, slow parts, no habit or nowhere to drop off items. Readiness for next-month actions and which changes would help most complete the picture.
Who the “Reusing items and repairing instead of replacing” template is for
It suits repair cafés and workshops, second-hand and rental platforms, waste-management and circular-economy programmes, municipalities and sustainability teams, manufacturers exploring repairability and warranties, and NGOs promoting a right-to-repair culture. It also works for retailers testing trade-in or refurbishment services, or community groups running swap events.
How to adapt the template to your needs
Adjust it to your service. Focus on one category such as electronics, clothing or furniture, replace the practices list with what your community actually does, or add local drop-off and workshop options. Turn the accessibility question into location-specific choices, extend the barriers with issues like warranty concerns, and use branching so people who rarely repair get questions about trust and cost while active repairers describe their go-to services. Adapt the readiness actions and the improvement list to what your organisation can offer.
Questions and answer options
Answer options:
— Very important
— Rather important
— Rather not important
— Not important at all
— Hard to say
Answer options:
— Always or almost always
— Often
— Sometimes
— Rarely
— Never
— Hard to say
Answer options:
— Repair clothing/shoes (minor repairs)
— Give items to others (family, friends, charity)
— Sell or buy second-hand items
— Reuse items for other purposes (e.g., jars/packaging)
— Replace/fix small parts in devices (if it’s safe)
— Use repair services or workshops
— Rent items instead of buying (when possible)
— Swap/exchange items
Answer options:
— Accessible and convenient; I use them
— Accessible, but I use them rarely
— Rather accessible, but it’s hard to find/figure out
— Rather not accessible (expensive/far/few options)
— I don’t know what’s available nearby
Answer options:
— Repair costs almost as much as buying new
— Not enough time to find a repairer/spare parts/instructions
— Hard to understand where and how to repair
— Low trust in repair quality
— Repairs/spare parts delivery take too long
— No habit; it’s easier to buy new
— No convenient places to drop off/exchange/sell items
— It’s inconvenient to store items for reuse or passing on
Answer options:
— Repair an item if the damage is minor
— Sell/give away unwanted items instead of throwing them away
— Buy a second-hand item if it’s in good condition
— Use rental for rare needs (tools/devices/items)
— Find and save contacts of nearby repair services
Answer options:
— Upfront clear repair cost and timeline
— More trusted repair services nearby
— A repair warranty
— Easier access to spare parts and consumables
— Convenient places to drop off/swap/sell items
— Simple guides for minor repairs
— Discounts or bonuses for repair or item drop-off
