Disposability is more and more prevalent.
Today, disposability is here to stay. Be it mobile phones, cars, TV sets or apparel, the upwardly mobile Indian is constantly disposing of the old and trading up for newer products. For instance, up to three years ago, the replacement cycle for TVs and washing machines was eight to 10 years- today, that years ago. The incremental saving through servicing is not worth it for many years. Longevity isn’t necessarily a desirable virtue for Indian, and increasingly, as products and brands become a mirror of self-image, consumers are replacing and upgrading faster than even before. So what has led to this sudden change? Theories that mindset of scarcity that once existed- thanks largely to the socialistic leaning that India as a nation had- is now giving way to consumerism. Post liberalization, there has been a slow but steady redefinition of the term ‘value’, which in turn has led to Indians warming up to the concept of disposability. While we still are not a use and throw country, certain sections have definitely become a use and replace nation. So, disposability is more and more prevalent one.