[touron]

It is news that will cheer anyone who has struggled to get a vacuum cleaner, fridge or TV repaired only to be told it’s probably cheaper to buy a new one. A new government decree in France is forcing manufacturers to tell consumers how long their appliances will last. French companies will also have to inform consumers how long spare parts for the product will be available, or risk a fine of up to €15,000 (£11,000). And if this wasn’t enough, from next year faulty products – whether it’s mobile phones to washing machines – will have to be repaired or replaced for free within two years of being purchased. Guardian article

[Randito]

There is no way any such legislation would get passed in the US -- unless we de-gerrymanger the congressional districts and elect Elizabet Warren as president.

[MtnGoat]

Yeah, then we could make wasting resources mandatory in even more areas. Cost = resources+energy. If it's cheaper to replace the vacuum, that means less waste, not more. This does of course assume that the market is relatively undistorted, which is not likely in the US or France especially.

[Jake Neiffer]

The problem I think, MtnGoat, is that manufacturers are intentionally making it very much a pain in the neck to repair an item. It becomes more hassle than it's worth, so u just buy a new one.

[Schenk]

[Jake Neiffer]

My most recent example is a portable dishwasher. Purchase price was 400 bucks. It quit draining after about a year of use. I cleaned the drain, ran water thru the drain hoses, etc. None of that worked. So I bought a 20 dollar pump from a sketchy website that I shouldn't have given my CC to as a last ditch effort. None of this stuff was in the manual. The new pump did solve the problem. But the thing was such a pain to take apart to get access to. Upwards of 100 screws or so. I lost some of them of course. My wife bought a new one before I could get more screws and get it reassembled.

[MtnGoat]

[MtnGoat]

[NacMacFeegle]

Too bad we can't have great legislation like this in America

[MtnGoat]

Yeah, why not make wasted energy and resources mandatory by law LOL. That'll save the planet.

[NacMacFeegle]

I don't see how making products last longer wastes energy and resources.

[MtnGoat]

I don't either...until you make it mandatory by law. Then you've stepped right on the very best way to insure inefficiency. One, you've now partly changed the customer from the private parties buying the products, to the regulators. Two, add to the inputs of energy and resources on the side of manufacture before, the additional inputs of the time and resources on both sides of the regulatory system, regulation and proof of compliance. Even with the same outputs, you've now increased the required inputs. Three, the market will not stay static and by adding mandates, you've added market distortions and all areas and consumers not directly impacted by the regulatory regime as producers, will change their choices and preferences to respond, and in many cases avoid, the changes. Use the vote which is unavoidable to producers, unnecessary to legislate, accrues both the risks and benefits to the chooser directly and empirically, and retains the highest flexibility and response to *actual* customer value judgements without distorting the economic process of markets at all...your $$.