Brussels, 29/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - Planned obsolescence is a practice clearly opposed by consumers who are willing to pay more for a longer-lasting product, according to a study published by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on Tuesday 29 March.
Indeed, the study shows that labelling showing the lifespan of products helps them sell better: sales of products labelled “long-lasting” are on average 56% higher.
The study - The Impact of Lifespan Labelling on Consumers - commissioned by the EESC, was conducted in four countries or regions of the EU (Benelux, the Czech Republic, France and Spain) and based on simulated online shopping for everyday consumer products (suitcase, printer, coffee maker, vacuum cleaner, smartphone, trousers, sports shoes, television and washing machine). The 2,917 Europeans who took part had the choice of ten different models per product category.
“What this first European study shows beyond any doubt is that the issue of planned obsolescence is not so much due to obsolescence being planned as it is due to consumers not having enough information about products' lifespan. Putting consumers at the centre of things by improving the information they have about the products they buy is important in terms of the economy, society and the environment, as well as being a key catalyst for restoring business confidence”, said Thierry Libaert, rapporteur of the opinion being prepared by the EESC.
In light of the findings of the study, the EESC calls on the European Commission to draft EU-wide legislation on planned obsolescence, recommends that industry establish voluntary certification schemes and urges Europeans to mobilise and campaign for change.
The main findings of the study:
On average, participants in the study said they would be prepared to pay €102 more for a dishwasher priced €300-€500 that would last two years longer. However, the additional amounts consumers were prepared to pay varied in line with the GDP of the country in which they lived. People on low incomes are more likely to fall victim to planned obsolescence.
The increase in sales of products labelled long-lasting is spectacular: 128% for suitcases and 70% for printers, for example. The increase in sales of smartphones is 41%, with variations from one country to another. The French are the more sensitive to the lifespan information of products (an increase of 118% in sales with lifetime information) than the Belgians and Dutch (+45%), the Czechs (+39%) and the Spanish (+32%).
The most effective format of labelling, in terms of increased sales, is the A to G ranking (along the lines of the energy consumption model).
80% of the participants think that the producers have a very high responsibility for the lifetime of products. Women are more likely to base their purchasing decisions on lifespan and the 25-35 age range is the most receptive to lifespan considerations when making purchases.
A legislative proposal on planned obsolescence would chime with the logic of the circular economy towards which the European Commission is trying to direct the EU. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)