At present, individuals from various countries have the opportunity to buy products imported from different countries. While this development offers some benefits such as affordability and variety of choice, there are also negative effects such as disadvantage to local producers and shift in the quality of food.
The possibility to buy products imported from all over the world locally gives people the comparative advantage in terms of choice and price. As there are various products from all over the world, now people are not limited to local goods and can choose imported products at a lower price, but with a higher level of quality. Furthermore, with the increasing availability of products from different countries, individuals can now easily find their favourite products from other states without having to travel or wait for package coming from abroad. For example, nowadays, a person in Spain can buy their favourite sweets or drinks from the USA in a supermarket, without experiencing any difficulties or having to wait for their order to arrive.
On the other hand, local producers can be at a disadvantage due to high popularity of imported goods. Since people now can choose from plenty of products with different qualities and prices, local producers no more have the monopoly in the market, which would force the customers to rely solely on their goods. Moreover, transportation of food between countries can take long periods of time. That is why, food producers try to adapt their goods to suit the transportation conditions by changing the ingredients or adding chemicals, which affects their qualities and taste. For instance, food companies can use conservants or add artificial ingredients to ensure the preservation of their products and extend the expiration date. Consequently, the increasing presence of food imported from abroad can harm the consumers’ health or lead to mistrust in the food market functioning without strict international regulations.
In conclusion, even though the current possibility of buying products from different countries in many states of the world can provide people with greater choice and the chance to buy inexpensive goods, it can also negatively impact local food companies and lead to worsening of food standards in the absence of international rules and policies concerning imported goods.