Benefits of choosing to shop locally for the local economy Creates Employment
Multiplier effect
Employees hired by the business in the local area will have more disposable income which will increase their standard of living.
A local business might source products locally leading to higher profits for local businesses.
For example, a local butcher might increase their orders from a local farmer if more people shop there.
Reasons why a consumer may choose not to shop locally
Fewer choices or less availability
Goods and services may be more costly
Shopping in a local community can often mean less choice for the consumer. There may not be many shops in their local area, and the shops there may offer a smaller range compared to online shops.
Local businesses are often small shops, and these businesses do not mass-produce products and therefore cannot afford to compete with larger international businesses.
CLASS ACTIVITYINTRO ACTIVITY
Key Skill: Compare local and global impacts of a business Fast-Fashion and Local Communities
Sales in fast-fashion Apps have exploded worldwide, as they can sell very cheap clothes online to customers all over the world, including Ireland.
Small Irish clothing shops may struggle to compete with the low prices being offered. When customers in Ireland buy from fast- fashion Apps, the money spent leaves the Irish economy and does not support local jobs, local councils or local services.
Very cheap clothes often travel long distances by air, which adds to carbon emissions. Many of the clothes are low quality and quickly thrown away, which adds to the waste going to landfills in Ireland.
1.
Identify two negative impacts of consumers buying from global fast-fashion businesses instead of local Irish shops.
2. Explain one reason why a consumer may choose to buy from a fast-fashion website instead of shopping locally.
185
STRAND 2 CHAPTER 18: The impact of business on communities