Norway's Consumer Council pushes durability over throwaway goods

Forbrukerrådet, the Norwegian Consumer Council, is running a campaign arguing that too many products are built to die prematurely and that quality and longevity should be the default rather than the exception. It anchors the push in a report titled ‘Kjøp. Bruk. Kast. Gjenta?’ (‘Buy. Use. Throw. Repeat?’), which frames premature obsolescence as a consumer-rights problem, not only an environmental one.

The core argument is that a more circular economy strengthens consumer protection and broader societal resilience alongside sustainability. The Council calls for consumer policy that makes circular choices — repair, reuse, and buying durable goods — easier, safer, and more attractive, shifting the market away from the buy-use-discard cycle.

The campaign points readers to the full report and an executive summary with policy recommendations, positioning durability and repairability as regulatory goals. The significance is less about a single product flaw and more about a policy-level bid to reshape incentives around product lifespan and the right to repair.