Nowadays, people live in the society where consumer goods are cheaper to buy. Do you think its advantages outweigh disadvantages?

Globalisation has ushered in an era of consumerism and we are flooded with choices. Certainly, this phenomenon has both pros and cons. However, I believe that the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages. I shall present arguments to support my views in the following paragraphs.

On the positive side, cheap consumer goods means they can be afforded by the majority and this in turn means mass production which is something good for the employment sector. This is definitely beneficial for the overall economy of the country. Furthermore, it reduces the gap between the rich and the poor to some extent because everyone can afford the things. For example, the market is flooded with cheap mobile phones from China which can be seen in the hands of every Tom, Dick and Harry.

On the downside, cheap consumer goods means there is a compromise with the quality and more often than not we bring home things which become useless after one or two uses. This promotes a use-and-throw culture because the repair is sometimes costlier than the actual cost of the product. These products also do not carry any guarantee with them. So, in the long run the consumer suffers.

Another big disadvantage of cheap consumer goods is to the environment. There is a lot of rubbish generated because of excessive consumerism. Unnecessary packaging is also done to make these cheap goods appealing to the eye. Often, this rubbish is not decomposed and ends up in rivers and waterways. This is definitely detrimental to the environment.

To put it in a nutshell, I pen down saying that cheap consumer goods do have their advantages but these advantages come at a heavy price to the consumer and the environment.