Power Consumption

Abstract

Sustainable consumption is unlikely to be achieved as longas the quantity of household waste generated in industrialnations continues to rise. One factor underlying this trendis the life span of household goods. This article contributesto recent advances in life-cycle thinking by highlighting the significance of product life spans for sustainable consumptionand exploring the current state of research. A theoretical model is developed to demonstrate how, by contributing to efficiency and sufficiency, longer product life spans may secureprogress toward sustainable consumption. Empirical research undertaken in the United Kingdom on consumer attitudesand behavior relating to the life spans of household productsis reviewed and factors that influence the market for longerlasting products are discussed. A need is identified for furtherresearch on product life spans and some themes are proposed.