PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

1. What is it?

   • describes a strategy to deliberately ensure that the current version of a given product becomes outdated or useless within a known period of time. This proactive movement ensures that consumers will seek replacements in the future, thus driving demand.

2. types of programmed obsolescence

   • Artificial durability Artificial durability is a strategy to shorten the life of the product before its release to the market, designing it to deteriorate quickly.
   • Perceived obsolescence Desirability obsolescence or stylistic obsolescence occurs when designers change the style of products so that customers buy products more often due to a decrease in the perceived desirability of outdated items
   • Systemic Obsolescence Planned systemic obsolescence is the deliberate attempt to make a product obsolete by altering the system in which it is used in such a way as to make its continued use difficult
   • Programmed obsolescence In some cases, notification may be combined with deliberate deactivation of a product to prevent it from working, requiring the buyer to purchase a replacement.

3. examples of planned obsolescence

   • light bulb, nylon stockings, printers. computers, car models...etc

4. Planned obsolescence: advantages and disadvantages

   • Advantages of programmed obsolescence Fostering the economy: the capitalist economy needs to be in constant growth in order not to collapse. Programmed obsolescence serves this purpose. More job creation: In principle, as there is more demand for products, more people can find work in the different parts of the production process, from design to manufacturing and many more. However, this does not mean that without this obsolescence there could not be a wide variety of other jobs related to the same products. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
   • Disadvantages of scheduled obsolescence Generates waste: the constant production and sale of all types of products generates all kinds of waste from different materials, both recyclable and non-recyclable. This waste ends up contaminating in one way or another, so it is important to reduce consumption, according to the theory of the 3Rs of ecology. It generates other environmental impacts: large consumption of water, energy from various sources and natural resources in general, as raw materials for products. Lack of respect for the consumer: for a good part of the population, this behavior by 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 buying similar products of other brands and/or qualities Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)