It is true that many people around the world are tending to run businesses such as shopping in large out-of-town malls rather than in small stores. While this trend may boost the local economy and provide with employment opportunities, I firmly believe that its drawbacks are far greater and have serious consequences for the environment.
On the one hand, large shopping centers bring convenience to customer, meaning that clients can buy everything by offered wide range of products under one roof, often at low prices due to economies of scale. Large shopping centers have wearing rooms for each gender and one special room to have a rest or to have a lunch for both customers and shop assistances. Moreover, such stores provide with employment chances which means that they create numerous job opportunities. For example, in one big shopping store, one seller can’t catch everything like working with clients and giving information about different types of clothes, especially busy families who prefer saving time and effort rather than visiting multiple small shops, meaning that there is a great chance for people to work who found as a jobless.
On the other hand, the drawbacks of this development are significant. Firstly, the growing popularity of out-of-town stores has caused many small local businesses to close down, weakening the local economy and destroying the sense of community in towns. Secondly, as these stores are usually located far from residential areas, people are forced to use cars, which increases traffic congestion and air pollution. In addition, people who do not own a car – such as the elderly or low-income individuals – face serious difficulties accessing these shopping centers, leading to social inequality.
In conclusion, although this trend offers convenience and jobs for people, it has more downsides especially for the environment and local communities. Therefore, I believe that the disadvantages of this trend clearly outweigh its advantages.