Freedom of choice on consumers and suppliers. Why should supermarkets be able to offer discounted products, sometimes below their cost, as loss-leaders to get people into the store? Why should airlines be allowed to give away free flights via frequent flier programs?
If Gillette wants to sell me a $5 razor handle for $2 because it can only use $1 blades from them, why should that be barred as an offer on their part that I accept?
Because it causes massive unsustainable externalities when that business model is applied by many firms across the economy as a whole?
The only reason that manufacturers can get away with planned obsolescence is because they don't have to pay any disposal fees to recycle/remanufacture their equipment. If they took a hit to their bottom line every time a consumer threw out their product, I'm willing to be they'd design products to be a lot more durable and repairable.
Depends on what you mean by "disposal". I'm talking about a system where no part of the device ends up in a landfill, much like what we have with car batteries today.
a side effect or consequence of an industrial or commercial activity that affects other parties without this being reflected in the cost of the goods or services involved
Oh wow, thanks. They must not have covered that topic in all of the Economics classes I took in college. Thank goodness you were here to regurgitate the definition of such a basic concept to me on this fateful day. I will be forever grateful.
Are iPhones an example of planned obsolescence? I think of iPhones as much more durable than cheap Android phones. Don't you think those would be less cheap if it weren't "free" to toss them in 2 years?
If Gillette wants to sell me a $5 razor handle for $2 because it can only use $1 blades from them, why should that be barred as an offer on their part that I accept?