Following the economic crisis that hit our country almost a year ago, we started shedding the light on one of the factors that caused this crash:
The huge gap between imported goods and exported ones.
Consumers are buying a lot of imported products and don’t even bother looking for local alternatives. Some others are asking: Would it help to buy local products? Why are some products more expensive than imported ones?
Should we blame people?
I don’t blame people for this: How can we know the importance of this if our ministers don’t do awareness campaigns and encourage local producers?
I only remember Pierre Gemayel who worked a lot on “7eb lebnen, 7eb sina3to” campaign and it did a lot of buzz back then. He prepared a full support program for the Lebanese industry but again his successors didn’t complete the job correctly.
Are they granting local producers loans?
Are they pushing supermarkets to improve local products’ visibility?
Why not prepare some kind of loyalty program?
Should we pay more for local products?
Today, many of us are encouraging local production and ditching imported products. The choice is simple when local products are cheaper than imported ones and quality is not compromised.
But what to do when the local products are much more expensive?
Why would a local cereal pack cost almost double an imported one?
Should the consumer bear the price difference while knowing that they are helping the country?
Sometimes the price difference is understandable but some producers are exaggerating. During these difficult times, people can’t afford paying more even if this might help the country’s economy on the long run.
People are doing their best to support the local industry but producers have to decrease their profit margin temporarily: the profit will be on the long run when more consumers will shop local. Government also has to put a plan in place.
Buying Lebanese Products = A National Duty?
What’s your opinion on the matter? Are you buying local products?
Let us know in the comments section below.
