To New Beginnings: Why You Should 'Shop Local'

Day before, PM Modi in his nation address said certain things that we had been trying to tell people since the beginning of time- to support local businesses, shop local. Be it food, fashion or lifestyle products- when we choose to shop from big brands over local businesses, it causes a huge impact on our economy, as well as environment.

Since ‘Atma Nirbharta’ is our major goal now, here are a few benefits of shopping locally that you should be thinking about!

You get better quality products-

Local businesses care about each and every customer that they get since the only way they are surviving in the market is because of their quality and not big marketing budgets.

You might save money-

For certain products, because of brand name, you tend to pay a lot more than the original price. Even in cases where the prices at local businesses are higher than normal (eg- slow fashion), there is transparency. 

Promotion of local handicrafts-

Out of a million things that Britishers might have done bad to us, ruining our handicrafts and small business was a major one. They used our produce and labour force to manufacture raw materials for their industries and caused a major setback to our local arts and crafts sector.

India is a storehouse of arts and talent. Our communities have so much to offer and contribute (especially in handicrafts) that we need to encourage and promote them.

Reduces greenhouse gas emissions-

Be it fuel and energy used in importing products from overseas or the packaging required to keep the products safe while transportation, the environment suffers in a lot of ways if we do not shop local. 

Promotes economic growth-

Supporting local businesses boosts the local economy in ways very well known to us. It is essential to support the economic downfall anyway.

You tend to cherish the handmade bits-

Just think about it- you wanted something. But instead of buying it from a big, multinational store- you choose to shop local. There are very high chances that your locally shopped product is handmade. It has been made by an actual human instead of being compressed, stitched by a machine. You will cherish the uniqueness of the product and the human effort put into it.

So now is the time friends, support your local businesses. Go local.

#ShopLocalWithUs