Have you ever wondered how long your shiny new electronic product would last.  Well, there may soon be a requirement for manufacturers to include the products expected lifetime on the package.  This new initiative is already being started in France and may see itself in come to the United States within a year.

The major disadvantage to this plan is on the side of the manufacturers.  With this new plan, manufacturers will be forced to show their cards and won’t be able to generate as much revenue in their companies.  Manufacturers rely on consumers coming back for the new product every year or so in order to maintain their profits.  An example of the detrimental effect that this new law has on manufacturers can be explained by showing that people will be more willing to buy the product that lasts longer over the latter.

The majority of those that will be affected include manufacturers of household appliances.  This is an important sector to have long lasting products because consumers don’t often change their household appliances often so they will be looking for appliances that will last the longest.  Having these circumstances also brings up other points of argument such that people will only purchase the appliances that last longer rather than appliance that are more technologically advanced.  “Why not buy the one that lasts the longest,” questions Ravi Patel(10).  Manufacturers may see the demand for longer-lasting products rather than looking for new technologies and, therefore, ceasing to pursue the innovation in products.

Of course a select few manufacturers may be void of this new law.  Apple, for example, will continue to sell their cellphones with ease no matter how long they can last, and consumers will always want to buy their latest and greatest smartphone available on the market.  Clearly, there are many ways that this new law can play out over the next few years.