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The 2017 "Batterygate" scandal is a prime example of planned obsolescence, where Apple intentionally slowed older iPhones via software updates. While Apple claimed this was to protect aging batteries, the lack of transparency was seen by many as a violation of Kantian ethics, treating customers as a means to drive new sales rather than as respected individuals. This practice encourages a wasteful replacement cycle, directly conflicting with the sustainable principles of SDG 8 and undermining the consumer trust essential for long-term economic health.

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Batterygate: A Complete History of Apple Throttling iPhones

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In December 2017, after more than a year of reliability issues and speculation, Apple confirmed that they were intentionally slowing iPhone performance in an attempt to prevent phone-crashing power…

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Environmental implications of planned obsolescence and product lifetime: a literature review

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Environmental implications of planned obsolescence and product lifetime: a literature review

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An article written in 2016 by Rivera and Lallmahomed, titled "Environmental implications of planned obsolescence and product lifetime: a literature review," provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex ethical issue of planned obsolescence. The article systematically reveals how businesses embed product obsolescence within design, manufacturing, and marketing by categorizing the strategy into four distinct types.

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Environmental implications of planned obsolescence and product lifetime: a literature review

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The aim of this paper was to explore the implications of planned obsolescence (PO) and the associated product lifetime on the environmental impact of products. To achieve this task, a literature re…

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In today's consumer-driven economy, ethical decision-making within a product's lifecycle is crucial for achieving a sustainable future. A study of the Dutch market in 2020 revealed the average lifetime of a microwave oven shortened from 10.9 years to 9.7 years in just a five-year period (Alejandre et al., 2022).This concerning trend highlights the pressing business ethics challenge posed by 'planned obsolescence', a strategy where businesses may sacrifice product durability to drive repeat purchases. The purpose of this paper is to examine the complex ethical dimensions behind this strategy, using the article "Environmental implications of planned obsolescence and product lifetime: a literature review" as a central point of analysis. The implications will be examined through two ethical theories, utilitarianism and Kantian ethics, and linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) 8, which promotes decent work and sustainable economic growth.

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The "Right to Repair" movement is a global campaign demanding that consumers have access to parts and information to fix their own devices. From a Utilitarian perspective, this movement achieves the greatest good by reducing waste, saving consumers money, and creating skilled local jobs. By empowering repair, it directly supports the goals of SDG 8 by fostering a more sustainable, circular economy. It powerfully embodies the conclusion that a shift towards more ethical and durable business models is both necessary and actively being pursued.

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The Right to Repair Movement - If You Don’t Know, Now You Know | The Daily Show

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The first is technological obsolescence, whereby a company renders older products functionally outdated by introducing new ones with superior performance. The second type is psychological obsolescence, which does not rely on a product's loss of function but instead uses marketing and fashion trends to make consumers feel their product is subjectively out of style. A study by Oraee et al. (2024) found that the desire for new technology and social pressures are key psychological drivers for the premature obsolescence of smartphones. The third type is systemic obsolescence, where a company forces a product's retirement by altering the system upon which it depends, such as by discontinuing software updates or essential accessories. This practice is a major barrier to a circular economy, as it prevents products from extending their value through repair and reuse (Camacho-Otero et al., 2018). The final form is physical obsolescence, where a product fails prematurely due to low-quality materials or irreparable design flaws. A big data study by Makov and Fitzpatrick (2021) noted that while the objective performance of smartphones remains stable, consumer interest in repair declines exponentially over time, a trend closely linked to manufacturer-created barriers and high repair costs. This declining interest is not a natural consumer choice, but rather an ethically questionable outcome engineered by manufacturers through systemic barriers, highlighting a direct failure of corporate responsibility.

These four strategies collectively drive overconsumption and resource inefficiency, creating a direct conflict with the principles of sustainable economic growth promoted by UN SDG 8.

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The ethical issue of planned obsolescence can be analysed through two distinct ethical theories: Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics.

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Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory stating that an action is morally right if it produces the greatest possible balance of good over bad for everyone affected by its consequences (Shaw et al., 2020). Applying this theory, planned obsolescence is unethical because its negative outcomes create widespread societal harm that far outweighs the narrow benefits. This strategy leads to significant financial losses and frustration for consumers while fueling a cycle of overconsumption that depletes natural resources and creates vast amounts of environmental waste, as documented in the literature on its environmental implications (Rivera & Lallmahomed, 2016). The collective, long-term negative utility for the global community vastly outweighs the short-term profits gained by a company's shareholders, thus failing the utilitarian test of creating the greatest good.

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What is Utilitarianism? | John Stuart Mill on Utilitarianism

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The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a comprehensive framework adopted by all UN Member States in 2015. They serve as a universal call to action to address pressing global challenges, aiming to achieve a more sustainable and equitable future for all by 2030 (United Nations, n.d.).

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Among these goals, SDG 8, "Decent Work and Economic Growth," calls for promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Its primary purpose is to achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification and innovation, sustain per capita economic growth, and progressively improve global resource efficiency to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation.

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Goal 8 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

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Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

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In contrast, Kantian ethics is a non-consequentialist theory asserting that an action's morality is based on adherence to universal duties, regardless of the outcome. A core duty is to treat humanity as an end in itself and never merely as a means to an end (Shaw et al., 2020). Planned obsolescence, through strategies such as intentionally making products seem outdated (Rivera & Lallmahomed, 2016), directly violates this duty. It treats customers as simple means to achieve the end of profit maximization, exploiting their trust rather than respecting them as rational individuals. Furthermore, the underlying principle of intentionally designing products to fail cannot be willed as a universal law, as no rational person would agree to a system where they are guaranteed to be deceived. Therefore, the act is inherently unethical because it is based on a maxim of disrespect that cannot be universally applied.

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What is Kantian Ethics? (Philosophical Definitions)

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Ethics are very important because they provide a crucial guide for companies to balance economic interests with social responsibilities. This assignment revealed how the practice of 'planned obsolescence' is deeply unethical, violating utilitarian principles by creating widespread societal harm and, from a Kantian perspective, failing its moral duty by treating customers as a mere means to an end. Through this analysis, I learned that businesses must look beyond the lure of short-term profits to achieve true sustainability. Further analysis revealed that this strategy also directly obstructs the promotion of sustainable economic growth and the creation of decent work as outlined in UN SDG 8. Looking forward, businesses must abandon such practices, as this is not only a requirement of their moral responsibility but also key to ensuring their long-term viability in an economy that increasingly values sustainability and ethical conduct.

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In 2020, people worldwide bought some 24 billion pairs of shoes, 64 million cars, and 1.4 billion smartphones-200 million of them from Apple. More than 80 percent of iPhones sold last year went to "upgraders," not first-time buyers. It's all part of business as usual.

Since the 1920s, when lightbulb manufacturers teamed up to purposefully limit the life spans of their products, companies have been locked into a business model rooted in the concept of planned obsolescence. To "grow," at least the way economists define it, corporations have to sell us more stuff every year-which is why there are ever-cheaper products made from low-quality or even toxic materials by people working in unjust conditions.

Planned obsolescence is why we see software mysteriously slow down, furniture designed with hollow legs and cheap staples, and clothing burned because it can't sell fast enough. As repair shops close, landfills expand. How did we get here? How can we change course?

The Components of Planned Obsolescence

Design

Planned obsolescence is determined largely by the materials a manufacturer chooses to use and how they're put together (think phones with screens glued in place). If a company's main source of revenue is selling more stuff every year, there's little incentive to design for durability, longevity, and repair.

Linear Growth Models

Our reigning economic model's limited definition of growth means that businesses don't invest in alternative revenue streams, like repair, service, and resale. "Negative externalities" like pollution aren't factored into the bottom line, and shareholder profit trumps all.

Low wages

The economic model that demands nonstop growth rests on a foundation of wage inequality and human rights abuses. Without international labor standards, it is easier to make new, cheap items than to service old ones.

Product Logistics

In addition to basic design, a host of secondary characteristics and logistical quagmires make it hard to keep an object in use-for example, accessories that aren't interchangeable, parts or manuals that aren't readily available, and warranties and service policies that prioritize replacement over repair.

Marketing

Advertising reinforces the notion that we should run out and get shiny new models. Cultural messages teach us to devalue our attachment to the things we already have.

Disconnection

As globalization increasingly separates end users from the making of products, our sense of value becomes distorted, creating both physical and psychological distance between the manufacture and the use of our stuff.

The (Circular) Path Away From Obsolescence

Individuals

Send signals to the marketplace, demonstrate demand for durability, and live in a way that aligns with your values.

Have good stuff.

Buying new stuff should be rare. Seek out new goods that are durable, repairable, sustainably sourced, and ethically produced.

Don't have too much.

Stuff is just like food-too much of a good thing causes problems. Reduce empty "stuff calories" by buying less and choosing carefully.

Look for mostly reclaimed stuff.

Rebalance your stuff diet by making used goods your first choice whenever possible.

Care for it.

Make repair and maintenance part of your routine and your budget by spending time and money on taking care of what you already have.

Pass it on.

When an item has reached the end of its useful life, or its use in your life, pass it on to someone who can use it.

Manufacturers

Companies can meet the growing demand for sustainability by building goods and services that make it possible for people to change their habits. Circular business models are nothing new but are taking off in new ways. In apparel, resale has grown more than 21 times faster than traditional retail in recent years.

Develop multiple revenue streams-not only from selling new stuff but also from resale, repair, upgrade, rental, and service models.

Move away from the "race to the bottom" on pricing. Sell fewer items, but make money from the same item multiple times by offering resale and repair.

Create stronger relationships with customers based on quality, transparency, and service.

Policymakers

Help create the incentives (positive and negative) that will accelerate and scale positive changes. The following are a few models, from local to global:

"Pay as you throw" waste services have been shown to reduce waste sent to landfill and help incentivize individuals to "pass it on."

Extended-producer-responsibility laws make sure manufacturers and retailers consider the full life cycle of a product.

Right-to-repair legislation is on the agenda in at least 25 states; it would help protect farmers, small-business owners, and individuals who want to be able to fix their own tools and equipment.

International fair-labor standards are the holy grail of healthier patterns of consumption; our present system is built on low wages in manufacturing countries around the world. A truly circular, ethical model hinges on people being paid fairly for their work.

This article appeared in the Fall quarterly edition with the headline "Built Not to Last."

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Planned Obsolescence: What Is It and How to Overcome It

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Planned obsolescence is why we see software mysteriously slow down, furniture designed with hollow legs and cheap staples, and clothing burned because it can't sell fast enough.

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Alejandre, C., Akizu-Gardoki, O., & Lizundia, E. (2022). Optimum operational lifespan of household appliances considering manufacturing and use stage improvements via life cycle assessment. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 32, 52–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.04.007

Camacho-Otero, J., Boks, C., & Pettersen, I. N. (2018). Consumption in the Circular Economy: A Literature Review. Sustainability, 10(8), 2758. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10082758

Forti, V., Baldé, C. P., Kuehr, R., & Bel, G. (2020). The Global E-waste Monitor 2020: Quantities, flows, and the circular economy potential. United Nations University (UNU) & United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). https://ewastemonitor.info/wpcontent/uploads/2020/07/GEM_2020_def_july1_low-res.pdf

Makov, T., & Fitzpatrick, C. (2021). Is repairability enough? big data insights into smartphone obsolescence and consumer interest in repair. Journal of Cleaner Production, 313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127561

Oraee, A., Pohl, L., Geurts, D., & Reichel, M. (2024). Overcoming Premature Smartphone Obsolescence amongst Young Adults. Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2024.100174

Rivera, J. L., & Lallmahomed, A. (2016). Environmental implications of planned obsolescence and product lifetime: a literature review. International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, 9(2), 119–129. https://doi.org/10.1080/19397038.2015.1099757

Shaw, W., Barry, V., & Muntean, D. (2020). Moral Issues in Business. Cengage. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/reader.action?docID=6511766&ppg=190

United Nations. (n.d.). The 17 goals | sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/goals

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Beyond this inefficiency, the constant manufacturing cycle also strains energy resources and increases carbon emissions, which threatens the long-term sustainability of any economic model, thereby conflicting with SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The primary challenge lies in the fundamental conflict between short-term profit models that rely on frequent product replacement and the long-term sustainability goals of SDG 8. Addressing this challenge requires systemic change to establish a true circular economy that encourages durable products, which demands not only voluntary corporate action but also strong policy support.

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Decent Work and Economic Growth 📈 SDG 8 💼 Sustainable Development Goals for Kids

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The ethical issue of 4 types of planned obsolescence discussed in our journal article is a major barrier to achieving UN SDG 8. This strategy directly fuels a "take-make-dispose" linear economic model, running counter to the principles of sustainable economic growth promoted by SDG 8. Specifically, it directly undermines Target 8.4, which aims to improve global resource efficiency and decouple economic growth from environmental degradation. For instance, the Global E-waste Monitor 2020 found that 53.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste were generated globally in 2019 (Forti et al., 2020), a figure projected to continue growing. Planned obsolescence is a primary driver of this resource inefficiency, making the achievement of Target 8.4 not just challenging, but nearly impossible without systemic reform.