Fit for purpose

Origin of: Fit for purpose

Fit for purpose

In Britain these days one hears and sees this phrase used widely. It grew out of consumer protection law in the early 21st century in the sense that a product or service must do what it is designed to do otherwise the consumer is entitled to a refund or replacement if the product or service is not fit for purpose. What catapulted the expression into more general currency was British Home Secretary John Reid’s shock announcement in 2006 that the entire Home Office was not fit for purpose. The publicity that this caused firmly established the phrase in Standard English.