washing machines and TVs were once a purchase for many years, today you will be frequently replaced after a short time. Whoever wants to complain about quality loss and malicious manufacturers, but so is not quite right. The findings of a recent study.
- Large household appliances such as washing machines to be replaced on average 13.0 years.
- small household appliances such as hand or immersion blender to be replaced after 10.6 years.
- flat screen TV 5.6 years remain mostly in the household, notebooks in section 5 ., 1 years
First of all, the good news: a planned obsolescence, so a breaking point of electrical appliances could not demonstrate the recent study by the Federal environment agency. Malicious built deficiencies, which the manufacturer will shorten the life of products on purpose, the researchers did not find therefore
And yet:. Consumers replace their electrical appliances from faster sinking actual period of use
The reasons for the rapid exchange of the devices are varied. Researchers from Öko-Institut and University of Bonn distinguish between different forms of obsolescence, ie aging of equipment
- plant material obsolescence :. Here, the aging of the product is due to poor materials and components into existence. For example, the hose of a washing machine is porous
- Functional obsolescence. The product is aging because alter the technical or functional requirements of the product. Example: A laptop comes with new software can not cope and must therefore be replaced
- Psychological obsolescence :. Here trends and fashions come into play. The product is aging, because it no longer reflects the latest fashion, to date. A 4K TV, for example, even more sharply than the current Full HD image
- Economic obsolescence :. Here is a product replaces “old” and quickly, because a repair simply not economically worthwhile due to favorable new products or high repair costs. Example: A new machine costs 300 euros, for a repair has to be ordered into the house a technician
The study by the Federal Environment Agency now showed that the useful life of appliances like washing machines, notebook and TVs though. will actually shorter, but a defect is not just necessarily responsible.
While in washing machines in 60 percent of cases, a broken appliance reason for the exchange was, it’s on TV sets rather the desire of the user for a better device. So here working TV set up new equipment to be replaced. For example, because the customer wants to switch to a full HD device.
laptop as a status symbol loses importance
In the case of notebooks showed against the fact that the psychological obsolescence a lesser role plays than before. The laptop as a status symbol loses most important, the researchers speculate.
For washing machines, a classic example of reports of planned obsolescence, also showed numerous reasons for an exchange of products. Although technical defects continues to be the main reason, however, there are other exchanges reasons. For example, the high energy consumption of old devices or the comparatively high repair costs, the ever declining Neuanschaffungspreisen face
The problem for the environment
Regardless of the devices eventually: the problem is the shortened lifetime of the products in any case. higher especially for the environment.
40 percent are for example, energy consumption and greenhouse gas potential of washing machines, the five-year period, compared to those that are used for 20 years. Better energy efficiency of new equipment is there already taken into account.
researchers call for clear guidelines
Researchers are derived from their findings several claims from. Firstly, manufacturers should in future specify on devices a life expectancy, on the other hand, the policy should make clear guidelines on how long must operate the product without errors and that minimum standards must meet a unit and its components.
In addition, the devices should easier and cheaper to be repairable. “Nothing speaks for permanently installed batteries”, the participating scientists Siddharth Prakash told “Spiegel Online”. In addition to new rules for manufacturers may be able to do something for more durable electronics and the end user.
This is what Albert Albers, Director of the Institute for Product Development at Karlsruhe Institute of technologist, in a message on the occasion of the study, consumers in the mandatory: “Ultimately, the customer has an infinite power. Planned obsolescence falls in our information society immediately and can not afford a producer. Reversed: would if the user aware of the market to buy mobile phones, keep the ten years or drills that you still want to inherit the grandchildren, then the manufacturers would be prepared “
In the video:. If the expiration date for smartphones?
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