The ‘Retail Therapy’ Pandemic: A Guide to Shopping More Sustainably
By Tori Taylor
You’ve had a bad day. Everything is piling up, and then something else goes wrong – say you knock over your cup of tea. You think I deserve a treat, and you buy yourself an ASOS bag. Some heels. A shiny new piece of jewellery. We’ve all been there, right? I certainly have. But more and more, I’m beginning to ask myself: how is this attitude to retail therapy impacting our planet?
Consumerism runs deep in the veins of modern society. Buying goods is incredibly ingrained in our culture. Because of this, treating yourself with tangible items has become common for all of us. Retail therapy is a term that’s bandied around to help us cope with our consumerist addictions. Shopping gives us a sense of control and a serotonin boost, but this serotonin hit is incredibly short-lived. It can become addictive, creating a nasty habit of buying needlessly, which can easily develop into an impulsive shopping problem.
In the heat of the moment, buying can feel like a necessity. In reality, whatever you purchase is something you’ll wear a few times and forget about. When I’ve spoken to friends on this topic, they admit they buy for the sake of buying, to reduce anxiety or depression, and although it gives them some comfort, it only lasts a day or two. This is the damaging part. Buying isn’t a permanent fix; the serotonin peak becomes one people chase.
Retail therapy can be extremely helpful and we don’t constantly need to justify the things that we buy that make us happy or feel more comfortable. Still, when we shop excessively it can quickly become an expensive and damaging coping mechanism. Businesses are also targeting people turning to retail therapy and can easily take people’s poor mental wellbeing as a chance to constantly sell their products – especially those focused on and impacting self-care and wellness, like athleisure or party clothes – to vulnerable consumers.
‘Fast Fashion’ is a phrase used to describe a highly lucrative and exploitative retail tactic. The clothes are cheap and mass-produced, with workers often working in terrible conditions, and are purposefully designed to have a limited lifespan. This exploits the general public, who think it’s only cheap, I might as well, but, most importantly, it also has huge environmental impacts.
Tonnes and tonnes of clothing go to landfills each year. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions and is predicted to increase by 50% by 2030 if we don’t do anything about it. Fast fashion’s pollution creates long-term and potentially irreversible environmental damage and exacerbates the potential effects of climate change.
It cannot be denied that retail therapy can be useful for improving mood after a bad day. Maybe you’re finally treating yourself to something you actually need, or these clothes will make you feel confident, or you deserve a treat or a reward. And you’re right! You do deserve to reward yourself. You should be able to indulge in things that make you happy, but fashion’s impact on the planet might leave you with a sick feeling in your stomach post-purchase.
So, how can you get that retail therapy hit sustainably?
1. Try charity shopping! Charity shopping is often far more affordable than buying new, and better for the planet as you are buying pre-loved items. Charity shopping is great because you hardly ever have the issue of having the same outfit as someone, and it also can help you develop your own style instead of just buying what’s in season. I also find that it’s way more satisfying when you find a really cool piece, as you sort through a fair few duds before you get there!
2. Vintage stores are also a great place to go. Vintage style is so in at the minute; why not try looking for true vintage? So much more authentic than the mock-vintage styles that fast fashion pushes.
3. If online is your bag, try looking on Depop, Vinted or eBay. There is even an online shop for Oxfam, where the best items go – still so much cheaper than high street prices.
4. Reorganise what you have. Sort out your wardrobe and donate what you don’t wear to friends, or the local charity shop or homeless shelter. The serotonin boost you get from giving is often much greater than the one you get from getting. And think how much more space in your wardrobe you’ll have!
5. Organise a clothes swap or jumble sale. With getting rid in mind, organise a clothes swap between your friends, or attend a local jumble or car boot sale. You can get super low prices and some great pre-loved items!
If you do want to shop new for whatever reason, try to shop consciously and be mindful of the brands you are purchasing from. Make investments, buy good quality clothing that will last, and buy to your needs! There is nothing wrong with a little bit of retail therapy now and then – as long as it isn’t harming the planet in the process.