The film documents the deliberate limitation by manufacturers of the lifespan of their products in order to secure sales of replacement and follow-up products. In addition to describing concrete examples, the film also explores the economic and ecological consequences of
consumer society. French
economist and
philosopher Serge Latouche speaks about the concept of
degrowth.
Documented examples • The
Centennial Light is considered to be the longest-lasting incandescent lamp in the world. It is used as evidence of
collusion among incandescent lamp manufacturers in the
Phoebus cartel, one of whose aims was to limit the average lifespan of lightbulbs to 1000 hours. • The market strategy of
Alfred P. Sloan, president of
General Motors from 1923 to 1937, is used to illustrate the entry of planned obsolescence into the
automotive industry. • In the context of the
Great Depression,
Bernard London proposed in his work
Ending the Depression Through Planned Obsolescence that all products be given an
expiration date, after which they would have to be turned in to a government agency and destroyed. In this way, consumption was to be stimulated and jobs created. • The Narva brand
light bulb, which is also very durable, is treated as further evidence of the existence of planned obsolescence in modern light bulbs. • Particularly resistant
nylon pantyhoses are said to have been made more short-lived for the purpose of faster wear by using inferior material. • The
Epson Stylus C42UX
inkjet printer is said to issue a defect message after a certain number of printed pages, whereupon further use of the printer is prevented. This lock, which is said to be caused by a
chip specially present for this purpose, could be switched off with the help of special
software. • The
battery of the
iPod Classic is used as an example of planned obsolescence in modern
consumer electronics. ==Reception==