Forced Overconsumption: The Trend Making Us Buy More, Get Less

By Tannam Likam

Winter Articles Challenge 2025

You’ve just bought a new phone. It’s shiny, fast, and everything seems perfect. Until, a few months later, it starts lagging, the battery drains faster than your motivation on Monday mornings, and your charger looks like it’s been through a blender. And, just like that, you’re back in the store buying the same thing. Surprise! This isn’t just bad luck; it’s forced overconsumption. A practice where companies intentionally lower product quality to make sure we buy more, more, and more.

How It Works: The Art of Making Things Break

Let’s break it down. Imagine you buy a phone that’s designed to last a few years, but then, out of nowhere, your software updates slow it down. Your phone is practically begging you to buy a new one. That’s planned obsolescence. Companies deliberately design products to have a limited lifespan so you have to replace them sooner than you’d like. It’s a brilliant way to boost sales, but also, well... not great for anyone with a conscience.

This trend isn’t just in electronics. Ever heard of fast fashion? You buy a shirt that looks cute for a couple of weeks, then boom, it’s got holes and loose threads. It’s almost like the clothes are designed to die. And the worst part? This practice is everywhere. Companies churn out low-quality products to get you back in their stores every few months. It’s like a bad relationship. You know it’s toxic, but you keep going back because it’s cheap and easy.

The Hidden Cost: Our Planet

But the real cost here isn’t just your money. It’s the planet. The more we buy, the more we throw away. E-waste, for example, is growing faster than a TikTok trend. Old phones, laptops, and gadgets pile up in landfills, leaching harmful chemicals into the ground. And fast fashion? It’s even worse. The textile waste generated by low-quality clothes is off the charts, and yet, we keep buying more because the old stuff never seems to last long enough to make it out of the closet.

Not only does this consume natural resources, but the constant cycle of manufacturing and disposal is destroying our environment. More goods means more pollution, more mining, and more waste, none of which we see when we’re checking out at the register.

The People Behind It

Here’s the kicker: the people making these disposable goods often face terrible conditions. Many of the workers producing our phones, clothes, and gadgets work long hours in unsafe environments for low wages. Meanwhile, the corporations profiting off this cycle are sitting pretty, watching us run back to their stores, wallets open. It’s a bad deal for the workers and the environment, and consumers are none the wiser.

The Solution: Vote With Your Wallet

The good news? We can change this. By supporting brands that prioritize quality, sustainability, and fairness, we can start to break the cycle of forced overconsumption. Companies like Apple, for example, focus on durable products and encourage repairs instead of replacements. It’s proof that being mindful about what you buy can be both good for your wallet and the planet.

So, next time you find yourself about to grab that cheap phone charger, stop and think: Is it worth it? Or should we invest in something that actually lasts? The world, and your wallet, will thank you for it.