Buy Nothing Day

It’s a bit like fasting!

Last year The Age reported this –

IF YESTERDAY was a typical day for the state’s retailers, Victorians spent almost $22 million on household goods. Roughly $11 million went through department stores’ cash registers and $9.6 million was splurged on clothing and soft goods.

But as the retail industry gears up for another peak season of Christmas trade, anti-consumer group Culture Jammers was yesterday calling on people to spend a day spending nothing. All in the name of international Buy Nothing Day.

It was a tough ask, according to Australian Retailers Association executive director David Edwards.

“It’s the absolute peak time for spending in Australia and it’s very much part of our culture … we are trending to be a more materialistic society than a less materialistic society,” he said.

Despite this, Culture Jammers organiser Paul Johanson was out in Bourke Street yesterday promoting the cause, which he says is more about selling ideas than products.

With a pair of scissors hanging from a lanyard around his neck, Mr Johanson offered to cut up the credit cards of the hundreds of lunchtime shoppers. more here

Buy nothing on the 24th Novemeber