Research

Teracube: a smartphone to outlive the rest

We examine the Teracube, a smartphone with an outstanding four year warranty.

March 12, 2021

Interview: The True Story of France's Fight against Planned Obsolescence

For almost a century, companies have been designing products to fail, so they can sell the same thing to you again next year. It’s called planned obsolescence. In August 2015, France became the first country in the world to define and outlaw the practice. To get the full story and find out what’s going to happen next, we spoke to the people fighting planned obsolescence on the front line.

May 09, 2018

BuyMeOnce at the World’s Biggest Repair Cafe!

At BuyMeOnce we strongly believe that everyone is entitled to the knowledge and resources to be able to fix their own stuff, which is why we were thrilled to be invited to the World’s Biggest Repair Café.

November 13, 2017

The People versus Printers: A New Saga in Planned Obsolescence

Printer manufacturers are being challenged in a revolutionary French criminal lawsuit. The case comes against the four manufacturers that dominate the French market: HP, Canon, Epson and Brother. The suit is being brought by environmental association group Halte à l’Obsolescence Programmée (Stop Planned Obsolescence.

September 25, 2017

The Right To Repair Movement: What It Is And How To Help

Fair Repair bills, legislation that champions a citizen’s right to repair their own gadgetry, have recently stalled in several states in the USA. This is not good news. Encouragingly, the fight against planned obsolescence continues through the noble work of the right to repair movement who believe that change is necessary.

August 01, 2017

Revealed: Europe’s bold plan to kill planned obsolescence

Good news Monday! Europe continues its fight against planned obsolescence by approving a resolution to make the EU Commission, member states and producers take action toward improving product repairability. A recent press release revealed that MEPs voted 662 to 32 to promote longer product lifespans “by tackling programmed obsolescence for tangible goods and for software.”

July 24, 2017