According to political scientist Jonathan Holslag, consumers have to shop more consciously and stay away from price breakers like Action and Primark because those “destroy the economy”. He feels people should shop at local stores more often.
“Every euro is a vote”
Holslag feels the middle class, who still has some money to spend, has an important task: it should buy locally, because future consumers may suffer the consequences. “Every euro is a vote. If we vote for cheap garbage, we should not be surprised that our children will also be treated like garbage when they start working”, he told Het Belang van Limburg.
The government should also help create an economy built on local companies and not so much on large and cheap chains that ship jobs abroad. “Look at brand clothing. For the price it costs, we can easily manufacture it locally if that local production also helps bring town taxes.” The scientists says the government should also apply local taxes to companies that import items, to create a fairer economy.
Local retailers also need to focus more on store experience and authenticity, to draw back consumers. “If a retailer can merge expertise and authenticity with a unique store experience, then he has struck gold. Everyone is focused on eCommerce, but the customer’s knowledge is also equally important.” Holslag concludes that while customers may browse online, they often head to stores to actually buy the product.
