( L - R ) Tufton, McKenzie

As we approach the major shopping season on the calendar, it will be inte-resting to see what approach local consumers will take to acquiring Christmas goodies for themselves, family members and friends. The shopping frenzy started earlier than usual this year, and people are being urged "to shop until you drop". The announcement by Kingston Mayor Desmond McKenzie, of a major initiative to woo shoppers downtown, will hopefully not send the wrong message that it's business-as-usual spending in a very depressed economy. But let's wait until we hear how much money is in circulation this year.

I believe Government, both local and central, has a responsibility to influence consumer behaviour. Based on the sounds coming from Minister of Agriculture Dr Christopher Tufton, one assumed the Government had a broad, long-term strategy aimed at trying to influence consumer behaviour in order to achieve some measure of sustainable consumption pattern. Many Jamaicans have a thirst for the First-World lifestyle, but few can afford it.

Material culture

There was a time in America when consumers were encouraged to go out and shop, and this was seen as a prescription for turning a sluggish economy around. Past governments have created a culture in which people are encouraged to accumulate and show off material gains. Well, we have seen how that rampant consumerism has turned out. People bought houses and big-ticket items without thought of how they would pay for them. Buy now and pay later was the way to satisfy that insatiable quest to acquire more and bigger things. People craved fashion trends which were created and discarded at lightning speed. Young men and women became walking mannequins for the latest adornments. Shopping was the new recreational activity with people buying things they did not even know they needed. This was clearly unsustainable. But members of 'Generation Bling Bling' have grown up to believe they are what they buy. And Jamaicans appear to be catching the fever.

The most recent edition of National Geographic, titled 'The State of the Earth 2010', says, "If everyone consumed like Americans, we'd need 5.4 Earths to sustain us. In contrast, Indians need only 0.4 of an Earth to sustain their consumption patterns, though this may certainly shift as their middle class continues to grow." The reality is that as people become more affluent, their consumption patterns shift, desiring more sophisticated items as they rush for the best foods and beverages. The effect is that their health is likely to deteriorate.

Brands without borders

Consumerism encourages mass importation, with the aim of finding the cheapest source of goods from whichever corner of the Earth they are available. There is not much incentive to manufacture when low-wage-produced goods have helped to create brands without borders, sourcing items from all corners of the Earth. It means that the production that Jamaica needs to improve its balance-of-payment position will continue to elude us. Not wanting to be regarded as the writer who stole Christmas, my suggestion would be for consumers to buy local as much as possible.

Despite what I said earlier, it is really the consumer who should take responsibility for his consumption habits. I say each of us could have a huge positive impact if we make an effort to decommercialise Christmas this year by not buying stuff we do not need. Most people have enough to spare and could give some to charity with happy results. Before making any big-ticket purchase, ask how this item will contribute to the quality of life. Let us start now to identify and embrace more sustainable habits in the midst of the simultaneous crises of a battered economy and runaway crime.

Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist. Send your questions and comments to columns@gleanerjm.com.