Imported Products Boycott

I have often bemoaned the fact that our shelves seem heavily lined with imported products. Even when the product is produced in large quantities locally it still has to compete with its foreign counterpart.

Often these imported products are not better in quality but sometimes they are cheaper which makes them more attractive to consumers who are trying to save money. In many instances trying to encourage consumers to ‘Buy Jamaican’ is met with opposition.

So here is the question that recent events have raised, ‘Should consumers continue to buy imported products from countries they believe have treated them unfairly in other areas?’

Well it is not an easy question to answer as there have always been some amount of tension between some islands even though they are a part of the same Caribbean community.

So when news reports surfaced about an apparent bias towards Jamaican travellers there was an urgent call for consumers to boycott that country’s products.

That decision of course made some people plead for an understanding of the issues before any drastic action is taken.
My take on the issue is that consumers have immense power.
If they want to voice their concerns in a manner which they believe will get the most attention then certainly taking away profits from the country is certainly the way to go.

Often though decisions can be made in the heat of the moment without much thought to repercussions of those actions.
Suppose for example persons in another country felt offended at something done by Jamaicans and decided to boycott products we imported?

It is a vicious circle, the truth is all the islands in the Caribbean should be supportive instead of antagonistic in their treatment of each other.
Consumers should make decisions that is their best interest and sometimes that means considering all the consequences of their actions.

That being said every consumer has the right to choose what products they want to purchase.

So what’s your take on the issue?

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner Online Writer

Tags: imported products