Epson is in court: first lawsuit over planned obsolescence

A French consumer protection association is taking Epson to court. The accusation is of planned obsolescence due to artificially shortened printer lifespans. According to a law that is unique in the world, there are now severe penalties.

Epson in court for obsolescence

A French consumer protection association is accusing printer manufacturers of deliberately shortening the lifespan of their devices. In France, this is punishable by a law that is unique in the world. A corresponding criminal complaint against Epson from 2017 has now led to the first approved lawsuit of this kind. The first hearing took place at the beginning of July. The non-profit organization HOP (“Stop Planned Obsolescence”) bases its approach on the so-called Hamon Law.

As Printer Channel reports, the charges are based on investigations by the French anti-fraud agency over a period of eight years. The focus is on two technical aspects of Epson printers.

Ink cartridges and waste ink felts

On the one hand, there is criticism of the display of the ink level: cartridges should be reported as empty even though there is still remaining ink. For older models without sensors, the calculation is only based on estimates. On the other hand, the focus is on the so-called residual ink felt. This absorbs excess ink from cleaning processes. As soon as the system reports saturation, the printer refuses to operate. According to HOP’s assessment, these felts could absorb significantly more ink. However, if you actually overfill it, there is a risk of ink leaking out.

Fines and possible imprisonment

If convicted, those responsible could face up to two years in prison. In addition, a fine of at least 300,000 euros or up to five percent of annual turnover can be imposed. Epson rejects the allegations and explains that they contradict its own corporate principles. The outcome of the proceedings is likely to have significance beyond the individual case. A corresponding ruling could serve as a precedent and influence the development of future printer hardware.