Planned obsolescence : a non-restrictable industrial practice? answers from constitutional law, compared law and abuse of the law

Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to approach the study of the planned obsolescence from the sight of constitutional law, as a concept that in law has two sides (faces); on one hand the planned obsolescence favours the achievement of legal assets and find itself protected by the principles of pro libertate and pro legalidade, and on the other it affects collective (public) goods and infringes subjective rights such as the consumer’s right to information, the right to quality goods, the right to security and the damage repair. In this context, a review about the answers offered by the different sources of law and the possible classification of the planned obsolescence as a hypothesis of abuse of rights, must be made.