Planned obsolescence: what they don't tell you

Planned obsolescence is a phenomenon that has become increasingly common in the Brazilian market.

And calling it a “phenomenon” might be a bit of a misnomer, since it’s actually more of a practice.

But what is obsolescence, after all? What does it have to do with consumer habits? 

In today's material, we will explain in detail what this is, showing how and why it occurs.

So, to learn more about the subject, continue reading! 

What is planned obsolescence?

You've probably heard someone say that today's products don't last as long as those of the past.

Or, you may have even seen it happen with your own eyes.

If you get a blender from 1950, it might still work. 

However, a current product does not have the same durability, so it will soon stop working.

Some people think this is because the industry has been using inferior quality materials in order to reduce costs.

And, in some cases, this may even be true, but we must remember that even products from renowned companies present the same reality.

So, saying that the problem is just poor raw materials may not be true, since even products made with good materials last less.

The true explanation for this phenomenon lies in the concept of planned obsolescence.

Planned obsolescence is a practice that has been used by the industry for several decades.

Basically, something is produced with a certain useful life, so that the consumer needs to buy it again in a short period of time.

The reason for the origin of this practice was precisely the fact that products from the past lasted a long time.

Some of these products lasted a lifetime, so a person could spend their entire life with just one washing machine.

This ended up causing a certain loss for companies, which started to sell less.

So, planned obsolescence was created to make it necessary for the consumer to buy again in a short period of time.

Product obsolescence can occur either through a lack of functionality or through the use of technologies that quickly become outdated.

In any case, the consumer is encouraged or even forced to purchase a new product. 

In which products is this practice observed? 

As we have seen, planned obsolescence aims to make the use of the product unviable, either because it no longer works, or because its technology is outdated.

The sector in which we see this practice most blatantly is home appliances.

As we have already said, a blender manufactured today does not have a very long lifespan.

The average lifespan for this type of product is around 3 to 5 years, with a longer period rarely being reached.

When it reaches 3 years of use, the product begins to show malfunctions or loses efficiency.

Therefore, the consumer needs to buy a new one in order to get the product to work perfectly.

The same goes for washing machines, refrigerators, coffee makers and many other products.

However, it is not just the home appliance sector that suffers from this.

Furniture made from increasingly weak raw materials, toys made from fragile parts, and clothing made from weak fabrics are also targets of this practice.

And finally, we couldn't fail to mention the electronics sector.

In the case of electronics, obsolescence is not necessarily in the device parts, but in the technology.

It is now common knowledge that smartphones and computers currently have a limited lifespan.

This period is given for the period in which the system receives updates.

Over time, systems stop being updated, and consequently, applications stop working, making the device obsolete.

As in all cases, the idea is for the consumer to exchange their device for a newer model.

Is planned obsolescence illegal?

When hearing about planned obsolescence, many people are bothered.

After all, no one likes to know that the product they paid for was practically programmed to last a short time.

Therefore, the main question that arises is whether this is an illegal practice.

And, planned obsolescence is not illegal, but it can be considered unethical.

This is because a good company must value its customer satisfaction.

And knowing that the company is acting with the intention of reducing this satisfaction is not at all encouraging.

Companies that practice planned obsolescence end up devaluing their customers' purchasing power.

This is because, if the product is made to not last and make the customer buy again, they need to invest several times in the same thing.

Another important point is that no company declares that it uses planned obsolescence.

Therefore, it is up to customers to observe the quality of the products and their durability.

Is it worth opting for old appliances?

When we talk about planned obsolescence, after the revolt, many people end up deciding to use old equipment.

And, if the idea is to avoid products that work for a short time, this measure can indeed be effective.

But is it really worth opting for old appliances?

This is a very personal question, as each person has their own priorities when it comes to consumption.

But, we must say that as much as old appliances make up for in durability, there are some points to observe.

The main one is related to maintenance, as it can be more difficult to find parts and labor for older items.

Furthermore, many of these appliances do not have energy-saving technology.

Therefore, opting for them may not be worth the energy cost.

But when we talk about other product categories like furniture, clothing and toys, the conversation changes.

Antique furniture, clothes and toys contain better quality raw materials.

Therefore, choosing them would guarantee you better products.

However, it is worth mentioning that the design can be compromised, as old things end up looking different from modern ones.

In this case, it's worth opting for classic style items that never go out of fashion! 

Planned obsolescence vs. size/weight reduction

And finally, we couldn't talk about planned obsolescence without mentioning the famous size/weight reduction.

This is because, even though they occur in different ways, both practices have the same purpose.

You've probably already picked up a product and noticed something like "new weight - 10% reduction" on the packaging. 

This happens a lot with chocolates, yogurts and even personal hygiene products.

It is clear that a box of flexible rods does not last as long as it used to.

This occurs because the quantity present in the packaging has decreased, which has reduced the use of the product.

Companies say the idea is to reduce consumption, but in practice it ends up being quite contradictory.

This is because, if before you needed to buy 1 package of chocolate to get 200 grams, now you need to buy 2 units of 90g and 1 of 20g to get the same weight.

So, the cost is higher, as is the consumption of packaging.

In the end, there is no savings at all, it just increases the company's profitability.

So, we can conclude that the purpose is the same: to reduce the use of the product, in order to encourage the customer to buy more. 

Now that you know what planned obsolescence is, you'll certainly be better prepared to make better choices about the companies and products you consume.

So, be sure to keep an eye on it to increase your purchasing power and improve your consumption habits!