Premature Obsolescence: In Search of an Improved Legal Framework

Premature obsolescence means that products do not last as long as they should or could. There are nowadays widespread suspicions about the diminishing lifetime of consumer products. Empirical studies confirm these suspicions, at least for certain goods. Various types of premature obsolescence are omnipresent in our daily life. Some products become materially obsolete due to the impossibility of disassembling them, while other still functioning products are too early discarded because no longer satisfying in consumers’ eyes. The willingness to shift towards a more sustainable economy has led to major legal developments at EU and national levels over the past years. However, rules curbing premature obsolescence are highly fragmented across different legislators, legal fields and types of rules. Legal fragmentation creates risks of overlaps, gaps and conflicts. This book addresses the central question how EU and national legal rules currently tackle premature obsolescence and how the legal framework could be improved.