I don't think it should be illegal to price things like this.

What should be illegal is only when deceptive practices are used. For example, they should be required to make it clear on the packaging when the new printer does not include a full-capacity cartridge.

Why? It's not misleading advertising, so what would be the basis for it being illegal?

Sustainability concerns?

It's too bad sustainability has nothing to do with legality.

The original comment suggested that this should be illegal, and the reply, as I interpreted it, asked on what grounds. I can see on reflection we're discussing different issues (i.e. I've taken the comment trail as a normative discussion, rather than a technical one).

Sustainability concerns seem like a valid ethical reason to create laws and attempt to minimise things like this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12742974

My comment can be read two ways: It's too bad sustainability has nothing to do with legality, in the sense that it should be illegal to make products that are extremely wasteful.

And you hit the nail on the head in terms of what I was angling at :)

On a related note: http://qz.com/811525/sweden-gives-its-fixer-citizens-tax-bre... -> "Sweden offering tax breaks to citizens who repair, not replace, broken things"

Not that I think its a particularly good idea, but, you could make a law like that.

I suppose, the ban on disposable products in food service and shopping (styrofoam and plastic bags) already is.