• Home Home

Customers frustrated by major retailer's latest unnecessary stunt: 'Quite the choice'

"The world does not need more."

"The world does not need more."

Photo Credit: Reddit

The average American throws out 5 pounds of trash daily, according to Environment America. Nonessential consumer goods, like these superfluous mugs that one appalled Redditor came across, often contribute to landfills or end up in charity shops. 

The mugs, sold by one of the U.K.'s major retail discount stores, B&M, feature witty remarks supporting consumerism behavior. "B&M made me buy it!" one mug read. "Nipped in for one thing … came out with 78!" another mug read. 

"The world does not need more."
Photo Credit: Reddit

Shared in the r/Anticonsumption subreddit, the Reddit user scoffed at the purposelessness of the mugs. "Celebrate impulse-buying needless products by impulse-buying a needless product!"

The OP went on to explain that the mugs irked them so much because they volunteer at a charity shop and "one [thing] the world DOES NOT need more of is mugs."

Natural resources are depleted to continuously produce these kinds of consumer products. If not passed on either through thrift shops or charity, they often end up in landfills. The cyclical behavior of overconsumption and frequent disposal results in mass waste that overflows landfills and pollutes the earth through the air, soil, or water. 

Additionally, the consumerism behavior that the retail store is promoting, reinforces a harmful sentiment that equates spending money on shopping, with happiness. Consumer culture makes us believe that we can buy happiness, and to an extent, we can. However, happiness isn't only achieved through consumption. 

Doing good also makes you feel good, the University of Oxford confirms. You can volunteer your time or skills with nonprofit organizations that may need your help. 

Alternatively, you can donate money to support issues close to your heart, such as climate or environmental issues. The Happiness Index found that prosocial spending, or spending money on other people, can make you feel good. In fact, they found that spending money on other people can bring more happiness than spending money on yourself. 

Instead of impulsively purchasing unnecessary items that may end up in the trash, put your money where it can do more good. 

How often do you buy plastic water bottles?

Every day 😬

A few times a week 😥

A few times a month 😕

Almost never 😎

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"I think the good people at B+M saw the memes/marketing around Target in the US and decided to try and make it a thing over here," one Reddit commenter posed. 

"Gleefully bragging about having a shopping addiction at B+M of all places is quite the choice," another user commented.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

Cool Divider