Open Access Journal
Open Access Journal
Consumption is essential for human beings in a capitalist society. Just as profit is essential for the maintenance of a company. For this reason, some companies have practiced the phenomenon known as Planned Obsolescence. This article addresses this practice, which consists, among other things, of the intentional reduction of the useful life of products by manufacturers and suppliers, leading consumers to purchase new items more frequently, which harms them financially. In the Brazilian legal context, although planned obsolescence is not explicitly mentioned in the Consumer Protection Code (CDC), it violates its fundamental principles, such as good faith, equity and transparency. The practice unbalances the consumer relationship by limiting the autonomy of the consumer, who is considered a vulnerable party in the consumer relationship. In addition, the text highlights bills currently under consideration that aim to regulate and sanction planned obsolescence as an abusive practice and reflects on the role of consumerism driven by marketing and modern social dynamics, which prioritize status and appearance over the real need for a product. Finally, it is concluded that, in addition to specific legal regulation, with the update of the CDC, it is necessary to change the culture of consumption so that the effects of this practice can be mitigated, since planned obsolescence harms not only consumers, but also healthy competition, which stimulates innovation and the prevalence of product quality.
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