Short cables on multiplugs limits flexibility

Ellies is one of South Africa's largest manufacturers (or, more likely, importers from China) of electrical extension cables and multiplugs.

Why has the length of the cable attached to multiuplugs grown shorter over the years? We used to be able to buy multiplugs with about 800mm of cable, but nowadays the cable is barely 500mm long - yet the purpose of the plug is not just to allow more devices to be attached to the same power source. It is surely also to allow some flexibility in relation to the positioning of connections.

The very short length forces users to have connections under their beds, and in other inconvenient or dangerous positions.

A multiplug with 1,2m of cord will, I am sure, sell well.