By Jaqueline Quesada / Translated by Samai Páez

"Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy," directed by Nic Stacey, is a recent Netflix production which exposes the methods of large corporations to promote masive consumption. Through fake marketing strategies, companies manipulate consumers to generate impulsive buying habits. A call for reflection for both consumers and experts, this work uncovers a worrying reality.

The documentary breaks down five pillars of consumerism: sell more, spend more, lie more, hide more and control more. Through interviews with psychologists, experts in sustainability and former employees of large brands, procedures used to keep the consumer trapped in a constant buying cycle are revealed, prioritizing profits over environmental and ethical impact.

The consequences of this model are alarming in Latin America. The region faces an accelerated growth of the fast fashion industry, which employs similar techniques to boost masive consumption. An example of this is the situation in fast fashion, que emplea técnicas similares para impulsar el consumo masivo. Un ejemplo de esto es la situación en Chile, where it is estimated that more than 50 hundred thousand tons of used clothes are imported per year and the majority ends up as waste in ilegals dumps in the Atacama Desert.

Another problem addressed is the increase in indebtedness as a result of consumerism. Events such as Buen Fin in Mexico or Black Friday, with its sales and discounts, prompt compulsive shopping, leaving millions of consumers with unnecessary debts. According to the 2021 National Financial Inclusion Survey, 44.8% of adults in Mexico use formal credit to finance their purchases, which includes credit cards and personal loans.

"Buy Now" places a special emphasis on environmental impact, a critical issue in Latin America. In Colombia, for example, the River of Bogotá faces high levels of pollution from industrial and textile waste, a problem that has been documented multiple times. The region also suffers the increase of microplastics in its ecosystems, as revealed in a study published on the Science of the Total Environment magazine in 2021.

But the problem goes beyond pollution. Labor exploitation in the textile industry, the impact on mental health due to the pressure to consume and the loss of cultural identity associated with the homogenization of consumption are equally worrying consequences.

This film not only invites us to reflect on our habits, but also reminds us that every purchase decision can be an act of resistance or complicity against this system. To be more tuned about the latest news of this sector in Latin America and keep knoledgeable of initiatives that promote responsible consumption, you can follow us at Universo MOLA. Here you will find information and analysis about the impact of consumerism in the region and alternatives for a more sustainable future.