People in the community can buy cheaper products nowadays. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
It is a well-known fact that consumer goods have been increasingly cheaper in recent years. Despite some obvious benefits associated with this phenomenon, they fail to justify the overwhelming flaws.
On the one hand, there are two primary advantages to the greater affordability of existing product waves. Firstly, since more and more people can now afford basic necessities, living standards have vastly improved. In fact, many households are able to currently purchase television and refrigerators that meet their needs for entertainment and food storage. Secondly, when goods are offered at lower prices, public purchasing power is boosted and this drives economic growth. With a prosperous economy, the government is well-placed to collect more taxes and invest this money in key fields, such as education and healthcare.
On the other hand, the obvious drawbacks of the rise of low-priced merchandise far outweigh these positives. By using cheaper quality products, the public risks compromising their well-being. Some manufacturers are likely to focus on utilizing substandard materials and skipping many steps in the production process as a way to cut costs, resulting in lower safety levels for consumers. Furthermore, if the trend towards affordable items is accelerated, labor exploitation will be leveled up. In China’s emerging sweatshop, for example, underpaid workers have to work extra hours in extreme working conditions to produce ever-cheaper garments and electronic gadgets.
In conclusion, society on the whole has more to lose than gain from the cheapening of goods. However, this development is almost inevitable, given the present emphasis on catering for growing consumption demands and achieving economic prosperity.