What is planned obsolescence and examples

All products have a more or less extended useful life. We distinguish two types of obsolescence:

• Obsolescence due to wear and tear or evolution: before planned obsolescence emerged, products became obsolete due to the natural wear and tear of their use, or due to the emergence of a much better technology that replaced them.
• Planned obsolescence: it is the most common today. In this type of obsolescence, the company that designs the product decides its useful life, depending on its interest in selling more of said product or to make way for the next model that may become fashionable.

Thus, planned obsolescence is a business strategy that consists of restricting the useful life of the products in which it trades. The purpose of this strategy is very clear: generate new demand so that the company can continue to maintain high sales levels.

Let’s take a very clear example: if a company that produces computers manufactures computers that last 20 years, in 20 years it will sell only one computer per customer, that is, in 20 years it will sell 20 computers. However, if you produce computers with a useful life of 10 years, in that same period of time you will have sold twice as many, that is, in 20 years you will have sold 40.

This strategy has important repercussions on the industry, the economy, society and, most especially, the environment, as we will see later.

Within the “planned obsolescence” framework, we can find three basic strategies:

• Obsolescence of function: a product with new functions comes onto the market.
• Quality obsolescence: the company introduces some part in the product that will last only during the period of time in which the product’s warranty is in force. In addition, they design products in a way that makes repairing them less profitable than purchasing a new item.
• Obsolescence of desire: the product is hardly changed, but the desire is generated in the consumer to buy a new one. A paradigmatic example is the fashion industry.

The documentary “Buy, throw away, buy”, whose title alludes to the evident consumerist dynamic in which we are immersed, provides us with some examples of planned obsolescence that are especially representative of this problem:

• Light Bulbs: The first light bulbs produced were designed to work as long as possible. Later, a thinner filament that broke more easily was introduced so that they had to be purchased more often.
• Nylon stockings: Likewise, the first stockings were made with thicker threads and more resistant intricate workmanship. By changing these characteristics, the now inevitable runs on socks became common, leading us to throw them away and buy new ones.
• Mobile or cell phone batteries: this is an example of a much more current product. A few years ago they could be changed without problem. Now some companies have prevented the user from accessing the battery, completely preventing its replacement.

Another issue to keep in mind about this type of obsolescence is to know well what the advantages and disadvantages of planned obsolescence are. Here we mention the main ones:

Advantages of planned obsolescence

• Promotion of the economy: the capitalist economy needs to be constantly growing so as not to collapse. Planned obsolescence serves this purpose.
• More job creation: In principle, with more demand for products, more people can find jobs in different parts of the production process, from design to manufacturing and many more. However, it does not mean that without this obsolescence there could not be another wide variety of works related to the same products.

Disadvantages of planned obsolescence

• Generates waste: the constant production and sale of all types of products causes all types of waste from different materials to be generated, both recyclable and non-recyclable. This waste ends up polluting in one way or another, which is why reducing consumption is important, according to the 3R theory of ecology.
• It generates other environmental impacts: large consumption of water, energy from various sources and natural resources in general, such as raw materials for products.
• Lack of respect for the consumer: for a good part of the population, this behavior on the part of companies is unethical, both for the consumers themselves, since there are also very expensive products that are given a very short life, and for the environment. Many of these users end up purchasing similar products from other brands and/or qualities.

Planned obsolescence has a clear impact on waste generation, as it drives the global economy to consume resources that will ultimately end up as waste.

Let us keep in mind that planned obsolescence is not part of the so-called “circular economy”, so the waste generated is not intended to be reintroduced into the production cycle. In the best of cases, this waste will be recycled, with the corresponding energy expenditure. At worst, and this often happens, they will end up generating serious environmental problems.

These are some tips to avoid consuming products with planned obsolescence or, at least, reduce their presence in our lives if we want to:

• Let’s remember the simple rules of Rs: the first thing, always, is to reduce.
• We are constantly being bombarded by advertisements that encourage us to consume a variety of items. But before buying, we can ask ourselves if we really need what we are considering: “if my phone works, do I need a next-generation one?” Let us remember precisely that one of the methods of planned obsolescence is not to generate a change in the product, but rather a desire in the consumer. This also leads us to another type of reflection, such as: “Will having a closet full of clothes that I don’t wear really add value to my life? Will my friends appreciate me more because I bought a new car?” The vast majority of advertising does not sell a specific product, it sells an ideal of life through a product. Letting ourselves be carried away by the consumerist maelstrom that promises us happiness can distance us, precisely, from the full life we ​​want to achieve.
• Ultimately, we will always need products to consume. There are responsible companies that have already echoed this problem, which incorporate the so-called “sustainable design” into their activity. Searching for these companies and consuming what they have to offer helps, not only to directly reduce waste and make us more responsible consumers, but also to encourage the expansion of this type of company.

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