hyperproduction

Hyperproduction is a term used in economic and cultural theory to describe a condition in which production capacity exceeds readily absorbable demand. It denotes the generation of goods, services, or data at a rate that outstrips the market’s ability to utilize or purchase them, often accompanied by rising inventories, price pressure, or the need to seek new demand channels. The term is not tied to a single formal theory, but appears in discussions of capitalism’s dynamics, automation, and global supply chains.

In manufacturing, hyperproduction can arise from high fixed costs and pressure to maintain asset utilization, encouraging continuous output even when demand softens. This can lead to stockpiles, wastage, or price competition. In the digital era, hyperproduction is frequently applied to the rapid generation of content, metadata, and user data by automated platforms, contributing to attention markets, data abundance, and new forms of data-driven labor and value creation.

Implications include environmental impact, resource use, and market volatility, as well as potential innovations in logistics and inventory management. Critics argue that hyperproduction reflects a misalignment between production capacity and real social needs, reinforcing unsustainable growth and consumerist dynamics. Proponents may emphasize opportunities for efficiency gains and new revenue models through scalable output or platform-enabled demand generation.

Related concepts include overproduction, surplus value, planned obsolescence, the attention economy, and data capitalism.