Why it is Important to Buy Local This Christmas
For those of you who still aren’t done with their holiday shopping, this previous article on PaulaPinkikay has a lot of fun tips on how to add excitement to an outfit without breaking the bank, which is something your recipients might appreciate! If you’re still scrambling for ideas after that, another possible approach to getting your Christmas shopping list completed would be to buy local.
Everyone who’s been to a bazaar or small business center in the Philippines has encountered the phrases “buy local” or “support local.” It’s a concept that’s easy to agree with— after all, “buying local” sounds good, so it must be good. However, despite the positive associations with the phrase, Rappler recently reported that Filipinos still prefer buying imported goods over homegrown brands, with local brands only hitting 28% of the spend share in the top 50 brands in the Philippines. This is despite efforts from the Department of Trade and Industry to encourage consumers to support Philippine brands.
Why is it so important that we be more mindful in buying local products? As the DTI says, buying local means helping Philippine brands become competitive in the local market. When brands are competitive in the local market, it allows more opportunities for expansion and growth— leading to more jobs in the country, more space for innovation, and positively impacting the Philippine economy.
Supporting local products has a direct impact on improving the economy, so the issue of buying from homegrown brands is one that goes beyond mere preference, and in a way becomes an issue of patriotism. And since, December is the heaviest shopping month of the year, what better opportunity to start encouraging growth in the local economy than by choosing Philippine brands for your Christmas gifts!
Another great plus about supporting local is that it actually doesn’t cost too much to do this. Philippine brands offer many of the same products that foreign brands do, but at much more affordable prices. This means that you get so much more per peso with a local brand than you would otherwise! This is especially great if you have a lot of people on your Christmas list that you need to get gifts for.
Local brands have also shown that they’re resilient, with many brands having been a part of the Philippine market for decades. One of these brands is BNY Jeans, which has been part of the Philippine fashion landscape for over two decades, and consistently manages to produce quality but affordable clothing for the local market. That makes them a great option for gifts this season!
Buying local has an impact that goes beyond a single transaction. It directly impacts the livelihood of so many of our fellow citizens, and over the long term can actually open up more space for future Philippine businesses and brands. So, when you’re doing your shopping this Christmas, make an effort to support Philippine brands— it makes for a much more thoughtful gift than your standard picture frame and mug. Happy shopping!
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