Revenge Buying – The New Pandemic Phenomenon

Over the last few months, the issue of waste has really come to the fore because recycling centres and tips have been closed as a result of the pandemic and ensuing lockdown – which has resulted in a 300 per cent increase in fly-tipping in some parts of the country.

Recycling centres have been slowly reopening and allowing people to come in and dispose of household waste around the UK over the last week or so, which is very welcome news indeed, especially for the environment – but it seems that there may be a new scourge on the horizon where waste is concerned.

We’re talking about revenge buying, a pandemic phenomenon that has been seen in some parts of the world as they ease lockdown measures and start breathing life back into the economy once again.

In China, for example, various cities have seen long queues forming outside a range of stores, everything from Apple and Nike to Estee Lauder and Lancome – and the worry is that this kind of spending behaviour could lead to an increase in the amount of nonessential goods being sent to landfill in a few weeks or months.

It’s important to remember the lessons that the pandemic has taught us about not being wasteful and not being driven by mass consumerism, buying for buying’s sake.

The planet has had time to recover a little over the last few months because human activity slowed down – and it would perhaps be wise, particularly in the face of climate breakdown, to try and keep this momentum going.

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