Fixing the Gap: Gendered Use of the Right to Choose Repair

The "right to choose repair" in European consumer law is central to sustainable consumption and consumer protection, yet its effectiveness depends on equitable access and enforcement across all consumer groups. While (consumer) law assumes that gender-neutral legal frameworks ensure equal protection, this premise remains empirically untested in the context of repair rights. This paper presents the first empirical study of gender's role in enforcing the right to choose repair. Based on representative survey data from 3,141 consumers in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, gender-based differences in adherence to the right to choose repair and factors shaping willingness to enforce it are analysed. Results show that women face distinct barriers, including acting less consistently with legal rights and greater sensitivity to procedural obstacles, financial costs, and conflict. The extent and significance of these gender-based barriers vary between national contexts, pointing to targeted policy responses that address gendered patterns in consumer law enforcement.