Second-hand instead of new, less food in the bin, a clear look at everyday myths – conscious consumption without the wagging finger.
Since January 2025, Austria charges a 25-cent deposit on plastic bottles and cans. How the scheme works, what's covered — and how year one went.
Reverse vending machines for single-use and refillable deposits in Schwarzach, Vorarlberg, October 2025. Photo: Asurnipal, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
Austria's new right to repair takes effect on 31 July 2026. What manufacturers must now deliver, how it pairs with the repair subsidy — and the fine print.
Illustration: AI-generated
Why ultra-fast fashion from Shein and Temu is a problem — and how to spot good quality in Austria, care for your clothes, repair them and wear them longer.
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Fan, portable AC or split unit? What cooling costs per summer, what the EU label really says, which refrigerants are on the way out and when shading is enough.
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The EU organic logo, AMA seal, AMA organic seal and Fairtrade explained: what Austria's key food labels really guarantee — and where they're easily confused.
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How much food Austrian households throw away, what best-before dates really mean, and which storage and cooking habits measurably cut waste at home.
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A best-before date is not a throw-away date. How it differs from use-by, what stays edible past the date and which foods you should never gamble on.
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Tap or bottled? A sober fact check on quality, cost, CO2 and plastic in Austria – and the cases where reaching for the bottle actually makes sense.
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Refillables, loose produce, tap water: which levers really cut packaging waste in everyday Austrian life — and where recycling hits its limits.
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Austria's repair bonus is now the Geräte-Retter-Prämie: 50 per cent back, capped at €130, electrical appliances only. How to claim it before it ends in 2026.
Illustration: AI-generated
How secondhand fashion in Austria grew from flea markets and Caritas shops to apps like Vinted – and what buyers should know about quality, price and textile waste.
Flea market at the Naschmarkt, Vienna, April 2025. Photo: Geolina163, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped