Some people think the manufacturers and shopping malls should sell fewer packaged products while others argue that people have the responsibility to buy products with less packaging. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Band 9 essay sample
According to some people, manufacturers and sellers have the responsibility to limit the amount of packaging they use. Others insist that in order to discourage manufacturers from using too much packaging, consumers should refuse to buy overly packaged goods. In my opinion, both parties are responsible. However, as long as consumers continue to buy products with many layers of packaging, manufacturers will not stop producing them.
Excessive packaging is bad for the environment. Sometimes, they use paper and cardboard to produce containers for goods. In order to produce paper or cardboard, trees have to be cut down. This does not help our forests or ecosystem. Plastic packaging is even worse. It is cheaper but it is also more harmful because plastic does not disintegrate even after thousands of years. It stays in the soil or water and causes considerable harm. If manufacturers limit the amount of packaging they use, less waste will be generated.
Manufacturers and sellers try every trick in the book to find buyers. One marketing strategy that they employ is to use attractive packaging. Oftentimes, this involves using too many layers of packaging. Sometimes, attractive packaging even enables a poor quality product to find buyers. As long as consumers fall for such marketing strategies, manufacturers will continue to use excessive packaging. Consumers can encourage them to use minimal packaging by simply refusing to buy overly packaged goods. When buyers refuse to buy products with excessive packaging, sellers and manufactures will take note. They can no longer afford to use fancy packaging.
In short, both buyers and sellers have the responsibility to buy and sell products with less packaging. However, we cannot expect manufacturers to limit the amount of packaging they use until consumers start refusing to buy overly packaged products. So, while both parties are responsible, consumers are more capable than sellers or producers of bringing about this change.