Planned obsolescence at a glance

Planned obsolescence:
a definition

Planned obsolescence includes all practices that deliberately shorten a product’s lifespan or its use. It can be designated as technical, software or marketing-induced obsolescence.

Planned obsolescence directly infringes upon our consumers’ rights. Since we have to buy a new product, it affects our purchasing power.

France was the first country to ban planned obsolescence by law in 2015.Planned obsolescence is recognised as a criminal offence, which is defined and framed by the articles L.441-2 and L.454-6 of the French Consumer Law: “Any planned obsolescence practice, including the techniques, such as software measures, by which the entity responsible for placing a product on the market aims to deliberately reduce its lifespan, is prohibited.” In 2020, HOP played a role in strengthening the definition. This crime is punishable by two years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to €300,000 (or up to 5 per cent of the company’s turnover) and a ban on practising any business activity.

This is much needed as the impacts of planned obsolescence are tremendous, both environmentally and socially: waste, reduced purchasing power, contributions to climate change, human rights violations, intensive exploitation of raw materials, and the destruction of natural habitats and fertile lands.

Beyond the legal definition, some types of early obsolescence have a broader spectrum. They include all the practices that prevent you from extending your product’s lifespan and repairing it, and that prompt you to renew it prematurely.