Planned obsolescence, a driver of consumerism?

The useful life of products is getting shorter and shorter and we are forced to replace them compulsively. This is what is known as planned obsolescence. But is the premature death of products really driving the market?

 

Welcome to Livermore, California. This is where you will find the world’s longest-lived light bulb in the world, located in the town’s firehouse. It was made in Shelby, Ohio, around 1895, and its filament is an invention of Adolphe Chaillet, created expressly to last.

The image of the bulb can be seen on the internet 24 hours a day and has already outlasted three webcams so far. A few years ago, in 1871, the inventor of the light bulb, Thomas A. Edison, had succeeded in producing a small light bulb. Edison had succeeded in producing a small light bulb with a comparatively enormous resistance, which in 1881 achieved a life of 1,500 hours.

A few years later, in 1924, a group of men met in Geneva with a secret plan: to create the first cartel to control the world’s light bulb production and share the profits. The cartel was called Phoebus and was made up of major light bulb manufacturers from Europe, the United States and even the colonies in Asia and Africa. At the time, Phoebus proudly advertised a life of up to 2,500 hours in its bulbs.

Despite advances in science, Phoebus’ milestone was cut short the following year by the “1,000 Hour Life Committee”, set up to technically reduce the lifetime of light bulbs. Phillips (Holland), General Electric (USA), OSRAM (Germany) and Lámparas Zeta (Spain), among others, were members.

Why is the life of products shortening?

Obsolescence is the depreciation of capital goods as a result of technical progress. Following this idea, planned or programmed obsolescence is the at least reprehensible practice of companies and manufacturers to offer products with performance and qualities that are inferior to the technology available. The aim is that these objects cease to function after a certain period of time and that the consumer is forced to replace them.

The main reason why companies design products with planned obsolescence in mind is, of course, the argument that it increases sales. In an article in Printers Ink, an advertising manual from 1928, it was already argued that ‘an article that does not break down is a tragedy for business’. Therefore, the main cause of the rise of planned obsolescence has ultimately been the very economic system that governs our societies. An economic system based on growth economics, where the logic is not to grow to satisfy needs, but to increase profits.

In short, businessmen will say: an economic system based on growth, of course, has no future without growth; and therefore, if the consumer does not buy, the economy does not grow. Industrial designer Brooks Stevens, often cited as the inventor of planned obsolescence, defined it as ‘the need to own something newer, something better, something sooner than necessary’, although his idea was to make the consumer always want something new, rather than to create low-quality products that were necessary.

 

Is an economy without planned obsolescence viable?

Possibly, there is an alternative to planned obsolescence, but only if it is supported by the administration and the business community. In our country there are already several initiatives that seek to reduce the impact of planned obsolescence. This is the case of the Catalan association Millor Que Nou, which promotes appliance repair and exchange as an alternative to generating more technological waste.

On the other hand, the Energy and Sustainable Innovation Foundation (Feniss) concluded that a family of four could save 50,000 euros over a lifetime if household appliances lasted longer or were designed to be repaired. Experts explain that labelling the durability of products could help consumers make purchasing decisions.

The European Union has also taken part and is committed to circular economy models. Technology brands should allow parts of their products to be taken back for replacement. There are also plans to create a label for products that are easy to repair, one of the proposals of the so-called Right to Repair Act, which aims to increase the lifespan of electronic devices to achieve

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  1. Jaume JosaJaume Josa says:
    Jaume

    Penso que podríeu aprofondir més en l’economia circular. Estem acostumats a que les empreses fan negoci venent més productes. En l’economia circular (que no és fer un bucle a la ineficient economia lineal d’ara) els productes es mantenen, reparen, re-manufacturen; l’empresa no pensa en vendre 800 on ara ven només 600, sinó en vendre 200, potser només 100 o menys i reorientar l’empresa per proporcionar manteniment durant anys o dècades al seu producte. Hi ha d’acompanyar l’administració i els usuaris hem de voler participar d’aquesta nova economia més eficient.

    • Mireia Cano says:

      Quina bona reflexió, Jaume. És un molt bon apunt el fet que un canvi d’economia requereix la implicació de totes les parts. És un molt bon tema a tractar, i segurament una de les opcions més interessants de cara al futur. En seguirem parlant a La Plaça, gràcies per seguir-nos! 😊

      2 years ago
  2. Francesc Estafanell PujolFrancesc Estafanell Pujol says:
    Francesc de Borja

    La obsolescència programada té sentit en una economia de creixement il·limitat i des del meu punt de vista no desitjable perquè posa com centre el consum i aquest deriva necessàriament en consumisme per poder assolir

  3. Francesc Estafanell PujolFrancesc Estafanell Pujol says:
    Francesc de Borja

    La obsolescència programada té sentit en una economia de creixement il·limitat i des del meu punt de vista no desitjable perquè posa com centre el consum i aquest deriva necessàriament en consumisme per poder assolir aquest creixement il·limitat

  4. alicia Coiduras Charlesalicia Coiduras Charles says:
    Alicia

    Sempre he cregut que l’obsolecència programada era una faceta mes dwl neolliberalisme salvatge i de la necessitat de la posessió em fa contenta la llsi del dret a reparar i de les iniciatives com millor que nou
    Gracies

  5. Pere Maria EstremPere Maria Estrem says:
    Pere Maria

    Tinc un cotxe amb 400.000 kilòmetres encara funciona…

  6. Joan Santacruz CarlúsJoan Santacruz Carlús says:

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