Imported Products
Many supermarkets are selling more and more products that are imported from other countries instead of selling food that is locally sourced.
What are the reasons for this?
Is this a positive or negative development?
A number of retailers today are favoring imported foodstuffs over locally grown produce. This development is a result of diverse consumer choices and is negative due to its economic and environmental drawbacks.
The phenomenon of supermarkets increasingly favoring foreign products can be attributed to a natural human desire for variety. Throughout history, humans have been naturally predisposed to novel experiences, including exotic foods, which are often correlated with irresistible temptations. This argument also holds for supermarket shoppers. Domestic consumers today, despite having tried numerous local products, become gradually fed up with meat, fruits, and vegetables that can be found in their countries or immediate localities. Imported products, on the other hand, serve as an element of novelty, rekindling a seemingly lost interest in local supermarkets for many consumers around the world.
This growing interest in foreign products is negative overall. Environmentally, most fruits and vegetables grown in far-away lands are wrapped in extra layers of non-biodegradable packaging such as styrofoam and plastic covers before being transported to desired locations. In addition, the distance these products travel to reach consumers, known as food miles, likely results in an increased carbon footprint. Secondly, this shift in consumer preferences affects local farmers. Economically, the growing primacy of imported foodstuffs might inevitably lead to local growers losing their incentives to cultivate. Over time, this means reduced local agricultural productivity, which, in the aggregate, has a palpable impact on developing countries whose agriculture constitutes a large proportion of income per capita.
In conclusion, the chief cause of supermarkets selling imported food rather than locally sourced produce is due to consumers’ entrenched desire for diversity, and this development is disadvantageous for environmental and economic reasons. Consumers can rectify this by striving for a balance between these two offerings.
Essay Breakdown
Structure
Introduction
[1] A number of retailers today are favoring imported foodstuffs over locally grown produce. [2] This development is a result of diverse consumer choices and is negative due to its economic and environmental drawbacks.
1. Write a general statement to introduce the topic
2. Write a clear statement to show my opinion, explaining that this trend is negative due to its negative impact on the economy and environment
Body
Paragraph 1
[1] The phenomenon of supermarkets increasingly favoring foreign products can be attributed to a natural human desire for variety. [2] Throughout history, humans have been naturally predisposed to novel experiences, including exotic foods, which are often correlated with irresistible temptations. [3] This argument also holds for supermarket shoppers. [4] Domestic consumers today, despite having tried numerous local products, become gradually fed up with meat, fruits, and vegetables that can be found in their countries or immediate localities. [5] Imported products, on the other hand, serve as an element of novelty, rekindling a seemingly lost interest in local supermarkets for many consumers around the world.
1. Topic sentence with the main idea – a desire for variety
2. Explanation: humans have always been drawn to novel experiences, including exotic food
3. Argue the case for supermarket shoppers
4. Explain why domestic consumers may become tired of local products and desire something new
5. Explain it by providing further details
Paragraph 2
[1] This growing interest in foreign products is negative overall. [2] Environmentally, most fruits and vegetables grown in far-away lands are wrapped in extra layers of non-biodegradable packaging such as styrofoam and plastic covers before being transported to desired locations. [3] In addition, the distance these products travel to reach consumers, known as food miles, likely results in an increased carbon footprint. [4] Secondly, this shift in consumer preferences affects local farmers. [5] Economically, the growing primacy of imported foodstuffs might inevitably lead to local growers losing their incentives to cultivate. [6] Over time, this means reduced local agricultural productivity, which, in the aggregate, has a palpable impact on developing countries whose agriculture constitutes a large proportion of income per capita.
1. Topic sentence with the main idea – state the trend towards foreign products is overall negative
2. Introduce the environmental drawback
3. Explain it
4. Introduce the economic drawback
5. Explain it
6. Further explanation in terms of reduced agricultural productivity
Conclusion
[1] In conclusion, the chief cause of supermarkets selling imported food rather than locally sourced produce is due to consumers’ entrenched desire for diversity, and this development is disadvantageous for environmental and economic reasons. [2] Consumers can rectify this by striving for a balance between these two offerings.
1. Restate my opinion and summarise the main points
2. Extend the viewpoint by stating a final thought
Vocabulary
A number of retailers today are favoring imported foodstuffs over locally grown produce. This development is a result of diverse consumer choices and is negative due to its economic and environmental drawbacks.
The phenomenon of supermarkets increasingly favoring foreign products can be attributed to a natural human desire for variety. Throughout history, humans have been naturally predisposed to novel experiences, including exotic foods, which are often correlated with irresistible temptations. This argument also holds for supermarket shoppers. Domestic consumers today, despite having tried numerous local products, become gradually fed up with meat, fruits, and vegetables that can be found in their countries or immediate localities. Imported products, on the other hand, serve as an element of novelty, rekindling a seemingly lost interest in local supermarkets for many consumers around the world.
This growing interest in foreign products is negative overall. Environmentally, most fruits and vegetables grown in far-away lands are wrapped in extra layers of non-biodegradable packaging such as styrofoam and plastic covers before being transported to desired locations. In addition, the distance these products travel to reach consumers, known as food miles, likely results in an increased carbon footprint. Secondly, this shift in consumer preferences affects local farmers. Economically, the growing primacy of imported foodstuffs might inevitably lead to local growers losing their incentives to cultivate. Over time, this means reduced local agricultural productivity, which, in the aggregate, has a palpable impact on developing countries whose agriculture constitutes a large proportion of income per capita.
In conclusion, the chief cause of supermarkets selling imported food rather than locally sourced produce is due to consumers’ entrenched desire for diversity, and this development is disadvantageous for environmental and economic reasons. Consumers can rectify this by striving for a balance between these two offerings.
Vocabulary Highlight
- imported foodstuffs: food products that are grown or produced in a different country and then imported or brought into another country
- locally grown produce: vegetables and fruits that are grown in the local area or region
- consumer choices: the things that people choose to buy or use based on their personal preferences
- economic drawbacks: negative consequences or effects on the economy
- favoring foreign products: giving more preference or priority to products from other countries rather than local products
- human desire for variety: the natural inclination or tendency for people to want a range of different things or experiences
- novel experiences: new or unusual experiences
- exotic foods: unusual or foreign foods that are not commonly found in one’s own country
- supermarket shoppers: people who shop at supermarkets
- become gradually fed up with: become increasingly tired or bored of something
- local products: products that are grown or produced in the local area or region
- serve as an element of novelty: provide or bring something new or different
- rekindling a lost interest: renewing or reviving a previous interest or desire
- negative overall: overall or in general, it is considered a disadvantage or negative thing
- non-biodegradable packaging: packaging materials that do not break down or decompose naturally in the environment
- food miles: the distance that food products travel from the place where they are produced to the place where they are consumed
- carbon footprint: the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product or service, often expressed in equivalent tons of CO2
- local farmers: farmers who work in the local area or region
- incentives to cultivate: motivations or rewards for growing crops or plants
- local agricultural productivity: the amount of agricultural output or production within a specific local area or region
- developing countries: countries that are in the process of industrializing or modernizing, typically characterized by lower levels of economic development and per capita income
- striving for balance: making an effort to achieve an equal or appropriate level or proportion of something
Grammar Gems:
NOUN PHRASE
“This growing interest in foreign products is negative overall. Environmentally, most fruits and vegetables grown in far-away lands are wrapped in extra layers of non-biodegradable packaging such as styrofoam and plastic covers before being transported to desired locations. In addition, the distance these products travel to reach consumers, known as food miles, likely results in an increased carbon footprint.”
This passage uses the noun phrase “extra layers of non-biodegradable packaging” and “food miles” to describe the environmental drawbacks of importing foodstuffs. The phrase “extra layers of non-biodegradable packaging” is a noun phrase that describes the type of packaging that is used, while “food miles” is a noun phrase that describes the distance that the products travel to reach consumers. These phrases are used to provide specific and detailed information about the environmental drawbacks of importing foodstuffs.
Reading
Further reading about this topic can be found here:
https://www.aacb.com/advantages-of-imported-foods/Listening
Further listening about this topic can be found here:
