What’s the last purchase you made and where did you get the idea from? If you’ve seen something on Instagram or Pinterest and thought they’d be perfect for your future environment-conscious self, you might be an aspirational shopper.
There’s nothing wrong with aspiring for better things, but when it equates to wasting money without changing your practices behind the scenes, it starts to feel like you’re playing a role.
The Minimalist
Minimalism is not a new concept, but these days, it’s become quite the elitist lifestyle. It makes sense to buy better products if you will be using them more often, as is the case when you don’t own a lot. However, if you’re more concerned with the price tag and the brand instead of the quality, you’re not purchasing because you want to be minimalist. You want to show people that you can afford expensive purchases, and minimalism becomes just an excuse. This kind of relationship with luxury brands might even result in marital problems. You might also be tempted to call divorce attorneys in Albuquerque if your spouse is spending too much on minimalism that the rest of the family budget starts to suffer.
The Zero-waste Lifestyle
Now that more people are growing conscious of the environment, there’s a serious effort that can be put to saving Mother Earth. Families can now work on living a zero-waste lifestyle, which requires some changes in the brands they purchase and how they prepare food. However, aspirational shoppers might not be making any dent in nature conservation because instead of focusing on minimizing waste, they are more interested in the new items they can buy. There’s no need to purchase fancy storage containers and bamboo utensils if you already have things you can use at home. For your lifestyle to indeed generate zero waste, use what you already have and buy only what you need.
The Eco-conscious Buyer
These days, even water bottles have become a status symbol. They show that you care for your wellbeing enough to carry a bottle around. But why do these water bottles have to cost an arm and a leg? Realistically, no one drinks the same coffee for 12 hours, which makes it pointless that canisters promise to keep your drink warm for that long. While it eliminates the need for styrofoam cups and plastic bottles, the cost-per-use of these canisters is too high.
Another item that aspirational shoppers love is eco-conscious clothing. Granted, some brands truly work on reducing the gas emissions of their business processes, but many are prone to greenwashing, and shoppers fall for it hook, line, and sinker. The truth is that you feel good buying from a brand that claims to be recycling their fabrics even if they can’t back this claim.
In the end, brands don’t just know how to answer customer demand; they also know how to market products to create demand. So don’t just follow the eco-conscious trend. Commit to addressing the pressing issues you’ve been presented.
