1 in 10 Brits confess to going through a minimum of 15 vacuum cleaners in a shocking study
Every year the UN comes together to discuss how to tackle climate change, with this year’s event pegged to be the world’s best last chance to get it under control. COP26 is just around the corner so many of us will be thinking a little deeper about what we can do to make more sustainable choices.
As it stands, per capita, the UK produces more electronic waste than any other country in the world, apart from Norway. Lupe Technology, a vacuum cleaner start up designed by a former Dyson engineer, is well aware of the cost creating new things has on the planet. Indeed, the UK’s leading recyclable vacuum cleaner has been founded on the premise of deconstructing the built to break nature of domestic goods, and has commissioned a ground breaking study on just how much damage the domestic appliance sector inflicts.
Despite the fact that 45% would happily pay an extra 25% more for a domestic appliance that is greener and more energy efficient and lasts longer, the data has found that 1 in 10 Brits have been through a minimum of 15 vacuum cleaners in their life, amounting to a staggering 58,635,000 units, with almost a fifth agreeing that their vacuum cleaner is the most built to break appliance in their house, amongst a myriad of other household goods. This research has demonstrated the overwhelming disconnect between consumer intent and product availability, unveiling a disconcerting issue within the white goods sector which needs to be addressed in order to reduce further harmful impact on our planet.
In fact, the study has further shown this problem does not just pertain to vacuum cleaners, but to all domestic goods. Kettles have been found to be the quickest to break appliance by 33% of the nation, followed by toasters (13%), hairdryers (12%) and vacuum cleaners (12%). When asked what the easiest to replace appliances were, kettles came up top again with 45% of the nation agreeing, followed by electric toothbrushes (16%), hairdryers (14%) and toasters (13%).