local businesses are being driven out of the industry because of the exceeding growth of supermarket chains all around the country. These local businesses are essential in supporting local communities. With supermarkets in picture, the need for local businesses is declining which could result in local communities being wiped out. In contrast, supermarkets provide a number of opportunities to both consumers and workers which could help the local community to grow. Below arguments for and against supermarkets is provided along with conclusion.
Supermarkets buy goods from companies in bulk to sell in their retail chains. In doing so they are provided with bulk buying discounts. They pass on these lower cost to consumers in the form of low prices. Their charges are lower than that of local businesses resulting in the preference of consumers being shifted towards supermarkets. Local businesses provide livelihood to the community. With local businesses suffering, local communities indirectly suffers too. These businesses either shut down resulting in poverty or move out of the town to look for other source of finance resulting in unemployment. Both poverty and unemployment create distress in local communities. My friend was made redundant by a local business after the development of a supermarket in town.
On the other hand, Supermarkets provide a lot of advantages to both consumers and employees. Supermarkets offer variety which local businesses fail to do. Customers prefer variety as their living standards increase. For example if you go to a supermarket, you will find peanut butter from different brands in comparison to local businesses providing only one type of peanut butter. Supermarkets increase employment as jobs increase with their development. Therefore, supermarkets rejuvenate the local community affecting the life of thousands.
Considering all the views stated above, i do believe, supermarkets lead to the closure of local businesses. In addition to this, supermarkets also exploit workers by offering them low wages. To prevent this from occuring, we need laws that support local businesses and prevent supermarkets from becoming a monopoly. This can result in local businesses and supermarkets supporting each other and existing in collusion rather than competition. This will cause incomes to grow, reduce poverty and increase employment and thus supporting local community.
