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?

In the contemporary era, shopping has been taken up by many people as an important leisure activity;

however

, in ancient times,

this

was considered to be daily routine work. In my opinion, I strongly believe that

this

trend has significant advantages on the global economy along with some demerits that should not be overlooked. On the surface, one of the major drawbacks of

this

trend is consumerism.

This

is because people have a higher disposable income when compared to in the past. The U. S. Bureau of Economic Analysis,

for instance

, in 2020 reported that the average household disposable income has increased by 44 per cent over a decade.

This

has led to an increase in shopping, which is moulding a materialistic society that neglects other traditional values.

Additionally

, overspending on various commodities forces individuals to take unsustainable debts that can lead to a financial crisis.

However

, there are few merits associated with

this

trend.

Firstly

, consumer shopping majorly contributes to the gross domestic product of several nations.

In other words

, the production of goods and services increases when citizens spent their income on shopping, which results in the rise of GDP.

Consequently

, governments will earn more money in taxes, thereby distributing these funds to develop various amenities

such

as education, health and transportation.

For example

, an article published in The Economic Times indicated that the U. S. government invests more in public infrastructure when the economy is booming.

Secondly

, shopping is considered by many as a getaway from their monotonous work life and to spend more time with family; thereby, improving family relations. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that,

although

shopping as a hobby can have invite financial catastrophe,

this

drift can improve a country’s GDP and family relationships.