In the past, shopping was a routine domestic task. Many people nowadays regard it as a hobby. To what extent do you think this is a positive trend? You should give reasons for your answer using your own ideas and experience.

In the olden days people only bought what they needed.

However

, over the

last

few decades, their purchasing power has increased and now shopping has become the

favorite

something regarded with special favor or liking

favourite

pastime of many people. In my opinion,

this

development should be discouraged because excessive consumption is bad for both the society and the environment. The society has become more affluent over the years.

Consequently

, they now buy just about anything they can find in the market. It does not really bother them whether they actually need the product or not. Shopping has become a hobby and that explains why people constantly upgrade their mobile phones and cars. To take advantage of

this

compulsive urge to shop, manufacturers release upgraded versions of their gadgets every six months. The changes could be superficial and yet people place their order months in advance. A disturbing aspect of

this

trend is that it leads to competition among peers. Mindless consumption

also

lands people in deep financial difficulty. Credit cards are widely available now and

hence

people can buy even if they do not have money in the wallet. Unfortunately, when they default on the card payment, they fall into the debt trap. Another major downside of excessive consumption is that it leads to the production of more garbage. Landfills are already overflowing with products that are still very much usable.

This

causes land and water pollution. Another disadvantage of

this

development is that it results in

further

depletion of resources that have already become scarce.

For example

, when the demand for furniture increases more trees have to be cut down. Production

also

requires electricity and

this

leads to the burning of more fossil fuels. In conclusion, when shopping becomes a

hobby it

Accept comma addition

hobby, it

does not benefit anyone. It lands the shopper in financial difficulty and

also

hurts the environment.

Therefore

, I believe that

this

is a negative development and it should be discouraged.