Obsolescence of Home Appliances and Electronics:

Author

Annick Girard, Colleen Thorpe , Fabien Durif (Ph.D.), Élisabeth Robinot

Organization

Équiterre

Published

2018

Summary

Obsolescence refers to the depreciation or decline in value of an object or piece of equipment before its physical wear-and-tear. The rate of obsolescence of home appliances and electronics (HAEs) has been steadily increasing in recent years. In 2016, 44.7 tonnes of HAE were generated around the world. By 2021, it is estimated that this volume will increase by about 17%. The term “planned obsolescence” is generally used to describe deliberate strategies used by manufacturers to reduce the lifespan of their products. However, some stakeholders have argued that the increased rate of obsolescence is largely driven by consumer demand for cheaper products, which are often made from low-cost materials and are made with fewer assembly steps, thus decreasing the lifespan of these products.
A survey was conducted in January 2018 with a representative sample of 2,202 respondents in order to understand the Canadian consumer’s perspective of obsolescence. This survey revealed that less than half of Canadian consumers are conscious of the role they play with regard to obsolescence. 86% of respondents indicated that they believed HAEs are deliberately designed with short lifespans. Also, 80% of respondents reported that they purchased their devices new, indicating a low propensity for reuse.
This study identified several policy recommendations. It recognizes the importance of educating consumers about the role they play in accelerating the rate of obsolescence, ensuring that labelling and advertising information accurately reflects the quality and durability of HAEs, and incentivizing companies to provide more repair and resale options for consumers. To accomplish these objectives, it is recommended that the government monitor legislative developments at the international level, such as Sweden’s use of tax measures to incentivize repairs for consumer goods.

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OCA Funded Research
This research received funding support through the Office of Consumer Affairs' Contributions Program.

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Source: Consumer Policy Research Database