THE ETHICS OF PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

Planned obsolescence, the concept of deliberately designing products to have a limited useful life so that consumers are compelled to repurchase the product. You may have seen this on your social media for-you pages, where creators argue that phone updates are made to slow down your device, thus forcing you to purchase a new one. It is important to distinguish two different types of obsolescence. The first is engineered obsolescence, where the product is deliberately built to fail or degrade. Perceived obsolescence, however, is the usage of style and marketing to make a product appear as though it is outdated; an example is the newer, sleeker, and lighter iPhone designs and fashion trends.

Let’s analyze the argument that we would relate to best as consumers: the case against planned obsolescence being ethically defensible. Immediately, the concern that the companies are deceiving the consumers and withholding information and a truly durable product arises. As consumers who spend their own, hard-earned money on a product that they believe is best designed, the companies take advantage of the consumer’s nescience and exploit them by taking their money. Besides the obvious concern we have as consumers, however, there is also the environmental cost of planned obsolescence. With more and more products being created, purchased, and thrown away, there is an enormous growth in e-waste and resource extraction. 

Now, we will dive into the unique argument that plan obsolescence is ethically defensible. Let’s take a look at things from an economic and innovative perspective: if products never needed to be replaced, the industry would stagnate, leading to a lack of job creation and R&D. Additionally, there is the cost-of-durability tradeoff to consider. When products are built to last 20 years, they will not only cost more to create but will also become more expensive for consumers. 

As we ponder on both sides of the argument, here’s something to think about: would requiring companies to publish expected product lifespan resolve the issue, or is deliberately limiting durability wrong regardless?