Have you ever felt the urge to buy a new pair of jeans just because the one you had was no longer ‘fashionable’? If yes, you have experienced first-hand the effects of the culture of waste. In a context of economic development and infinte purchasing options, we often find ourselves trapped in a mechanism that induces us to satisfy every new and diverse need. This leads to the incessant production of new, increasingly beautiful, high-performance and attractive products. On the other hand, those we already own are discarded as they no longer fit with the standard of the moment.
This phenomenon is called planned obsolescence, a term that, although related to technology, is adaptable to any product category. In the fashion industry, for example, we speak of seasonal obsolescence, which drives people to change clothes every season to keep up with trends. This market model is based not only on objective needs, but also on psychological dynamics, such as the human need for emulation and the desire to belong to a group. Obsolescence can be real, i.e. caused by actual malfunctions or factory defects, or perceived, when the consumer simply feels pressure to upgrade to new offerings, without there being a real failure of the product.
In the area of technology, manufacturers have begun to design their products to last a short time, incentivising frequent replacement. This continuous cycle of production and consumption has devastating effects on the environment: the excessive use of raw materials, the high CO2 emissions associated with production and distribution, and the exponential growth of waste.
In addition, certain specific times of the year are particularly prone to the problem. The more traditional festivities such as Christmas and Easter, but also more recently introduced ones such as Halloween, become an excellent pretext to incentivise consumers to buy anything ‘necessary’ to fully experience the event. Sponsoring, therefore, a strongly ‘disposable’ culture.
The market conceived in this way can only have negative impacts with the nurturing of such a consumer culture, increased waste production, considerable waste of materials and energy, and the loss of value of products once the market window is over.
To limit the effects, legislation exists at both European and national level:
- The European ‘Right to Repair’ Directive 2024/1799, amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2394 and Directives (EU) 2019/771 and (EU) 2020/1828. In essence, it provides greater protection to the consumer who is entitled to the repair and replacement of the product if the latter has conformity defects within the first two years of purchase. The implicit aim is to push companies to invest more in product quality and durability. (For more details read also: Used Goods Repair Directive - Right to Repair (R2R))
- Regulation (EU) 2021/341 which mostly concerns electronic appliances such as refrigerators, televisions, washing machines and dishwashers. In this case, manufacturers are obliged to provide spare parts and make them available on the market to allow easier repair in the event of damage to them. In this way, action is taken on the reduction and prevention of WEEE waste.
- Decreto Legislativo 170/2021, transposition of Directive (EU) 771/2019, on the sale of goods and the legal guarantee of conformity, set for a period of two years.
Despite these legislative initiatives, the most profound change must take place at the cultural level. Only through increased awareness can we reduce the impact of overconsumption. This is not about demonising shopping, but promoting more conscious shopping, which prioritises the quality and durability of products, rather than the compulsive pursuit of the latest trend.
For more information:
Obsolescence - Circular Economics
EU vs. planned obsloscence and greenwashing
European Directive “Right to repair” 2024/1799
DECRETO LEGISLATIVO 4 novembre 2021, n. 170
Angela Pia Zizzamia
Beatrice Fontana