Planned obsolescence facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Planned obsolescence is when companies design products to stop working or become outdated after a certain time. This makes people buy new items sooner than they might otherwise. It's like a hidden timer that makes your phone, computer, or appliance need replacing.

The main idea behind this strategy is to keep people buying. If products last forever, companies might sell fewer new ones. So, they try to shorten the time between when you buy something and when you need a new one.

This practice often works best when a few big companies control a market. They know you'll likely buy from them again. You, the customer, don't always know how long the product was truly designed to last. However, when many companies compete, products often become more durable. For example, when Japanese cars, known for lasting longer, came to America, other carmakers had to build better cars too.

How It Started: A Brief History
Different Ways Products Are Made to Break
The Power of Fashion and Trends
Laws to Protect Consumers
- Rules in Europe
- Rules in North America
What People Think: Pros and Cons
See also

How It Started: A Brief History

The 1923 Chevrolet is an early example of cars getting new looks each year, even if the inside technology stayed the same.

The idea of planned obsolescence became popular in the 1920s. Car companies like General Motors (GM) started changing car designs every year. This was to make people want to buy a new car, even if their old one still worked fine. Alfred P. Sloan Jr. of GM is often linked to this idea.

Not everyone liked this. Henry Ford, for example, believed in making simple, long-lasting cars. But GM's strategy helped them become a leading car company.

The actual phrase "planned obsolescence" appeared in 1932. Bernard London wrote about it in a paper. He suggested the government could make products legally expire to boost sales.

Later, in 1954, industrial designer Brooks Stevens made the term famous. He defined it as making buyers want something newer and better sooner than they really needed it.

By the late 1950s, many people understood what planned obsolescence meant. It was about products designed to break or go out of style quickly. Even Volkswagen joked about it in their ads. They said their cars didn't change just for the sake of change.

In 1960, Vance Packard wrote a book called The Waste Makers. He criticized businesses for making people wasteful. He talked about two types: products that stop working, and products that just seem old-fashioned.

Different Ways Products Are Made to Break

Companies use several methods to make products have a shorter life.

Making Products Less Durable

This is when a product is designed to wear out quickly. Manufacturers decide how long a product should last early in its design. If this lifespan is made artificially short, it's a form of planned obsolescence.

Weak Parts and Materials

One way to do this is by using cheaper materials in important areas. For example, using plastic instead of metal in parts that get a lot of stress. This makes the product break down faster with normal use. Think about toys with small, brittle plastic gears that easily snap. Smartphones also have a short life partly due to constant use and fragile parts.

Screen Issues

Some phone screens, like certain Samsung AMOLED displays, can develop problems over time. This might be due to weak internal cables. The screen might turn white or show colored lines. Sometimes, a software update can even trigger these issues. This forces users to repair the screen or buy a new phone.

Battery Problems

Batteries naturally lose their power over time. Many modern devices, like phones and laptops, have batteries that are hard to replace. This means when the battery wears out, you might have to replace the whole device.

For example, Apple's iPhones started this trend of sealed batteries. Now, many other phones are built this way. Replacing the battery yourself can damage the device or its waterproofing. However, the EU Parliament agreed in December 2022 that by 2026, most electrical appliances sold in the EU must have easily replaceable batteries.

Making Products Hard to Fix

Some products are designed to be very difficult to repair. This forces customers to buy a new item instead of fixing the old one.

Special Screws and Glues

Companies might use special screws that common tools can't open. They might also use a lot of strong glue to hold parts together. This makes it hard to get inside the device without causing damage. Apple has been criticized for using special "pentalobe screws" in its iPhones.

Pentalobe screws used in an iPhone 6S. Critics say Apple uses these to stop owners from repairing their devices.

Expensive or Unavailable Parts

Sometimes, replacement parts are either too expensive or simply not available. For example, some inkjet printers have print heads that fail. But the cost of a new print head can be almost as much as a new printer. This makes repairing it not worth the money.

Some washing machines have important parts, like the drum bearing, molded into the drum. This means you can't replace just the small part. You have to replace the entire drum, which is very costly.

Planned obsolescence in a Bosch immersion blender: a plastic latch designed to break after a certain number of uses.

Software and Digital Limits

This type of planned obsolescence uses software or special chips to make a product stop working.

Printer Ink Tricks

Many inkjet printers have smart chips in their ink cartridges. These chips can stop the cartridge from working after a certain number of pages or a set time. This happens even if there's still usable ink left. This forces you to buy new cartridges.

For example, Hewlett-Packard (HP) faced a lawsuit about printers that shut down cartridges on an expiration date. HP later agreed to change its practices and compensate customers. In 2021, Canon also disabled the scanning function of some printers if an ink cartridge was empty.

Old Software Issues

Sometimes, older versions of software are made unusable on purpose. This can happen even if the software could still technically work. Companies might do this to force users to update to newer versions.

While some updates are for security, others might just push you to buy new devices. This is because newer software often needs more powerful hardware. If your old device can't handle the update, you might feel forced to buy a new one.

The Power of Fashion and Trends

Sometimes, products become "obsolete" not because they break, but because they go out of style. This is called perceived obsolescence.

Many products, like clothes or sneakers, are bought for their look more than their function. Companies constantly introduce new styles and colors. This makes older designs seem less desirable, even if they are perfectly fine. This creates a constant demand for new items.

Car companies often give their models a "facelift" halfway through their life. This means they change the car's look, like the exterior or interior design. This makes older versions seem less appealing, encouraging people to buy the newer model.

Even phones use this tactic. Apple products often release new colors with "S" generation iPhones. This helps people show off that they have the latest model, even if the changes are small. Some phone makers release slightly updated models every few months. This makes a one-year-old phone feel much older than it is.

Laws to Protect Consumers

Many places are creating laws to fight planned obsolescence and protect consumers.

Rules in Europe

In 2015, France passed a law against planned obsolescence. It set penalties for manufacturers who design products to fail. The law also requires manufacturers to say how long products should last. They must also state how long spare parts will be available. Since 2016, manufacturers in France must repair or replace defective products for free within two years.

The European Union (EU) is also working on this issue. In 2013, an EU advisory body suggested a "total ban on planned obsolescence." They said it wastes energy and resources. In 2023, the EU voted to support a directive to ban planned obsolescence. In 2024, the EU Council clarified rules for retailers about product information and replacement parts.

The UK also adopted new regulations in mid-2021 to promote more eco-friendly product designs.

Rules in North America

In June 2023, Quebec, Canada, introduced a bill to protect consumers from planned obsolescence. This bill became law in October 2023. It prohibits making or selling items designed to have a shorter normal life.

In the United States, several states have passed "Right to repair" laws. These laws aim to make it easier for consumers and independent shops to repair products. States like California, Minnesota, New York, and Colorado have enacted such laws.

What People Think: Pros and Cons

There are different views on planned obsolescence.

Some people, like Philip Kotler, argue that it's just how competition and technology work. They believe it leads to better and newer products.

However, critics like Vance Packard say it's wasteful and takes advantage of customers. They argue that resources are used to make small, often cosmetic, changes that don't truly benefit the buyer. This creates a "buy new and buy often" mindset.

The Environmental Law Institute states that planned obsolescence harms the environment. It encourages wastefulness and limits people's choice to keep products longer. Some experts believe it should be seen as a harmful business practice against the environment.

One way to fight planned obsolescence is through the "cradle to cradle" idea. This means designing products so their materials can be reused or recycled. This keeps materials in use and reduces waste.