The problem is that I as a consumer have basically no way to tell the quality of products anymore. I could spend thrice as much and still run the risk of getting a product that breaks the second the warranty runs out.
Well, you have no free, low-effort way to find out. Reading reviews, looking to consumer reports, demoing things are all options. Of course, they take time and effort. But, really, the backstop is to buy it, use it, and take advantage of generous return policies if things don't work out. I almost exclusively choose my retailers on this basis now.
A good Makita, Hitachi or DeWalt hammer drill costs anywhere from £500 to £800. It'll provide utterly reliable service over years of daily use and is fully repairable. A store-brand hammer drill costs less than £50, but you'll be lucky if it lasts for more than 10 hours of light use. Most DIYers buy the £50 store-brand drill, because they'll likely only use it a handful of times.
Rapid technological progress makes the semi-disposable option even more attractive. We have the technology to build a laptop that will survive 20 years of heavy use, but who wants to use a 20 year old laptop? Most people get a "free" cellphone upgrade every two years, so what do they care if the non-replaceable battery dies after three years?
Bad for the environment, good for the consumer.