Laurence Dollimore
THE Junta de Andalucia has pleaded for people to shop locally and ‘responsibly’ this Christmas.
The General Directorate of Consumption urged the public to ‘buy local whenever possible’ to support a sector that has been ‘particularly harmed by COVID-19.’
“Buying locally strengthens the economy and local employment and is more sustainable for the environment by reducing spending on transport, both for goods and shoppers,” the Junta said in a press release.
It also called for ‘responsible’ shopping, asking residents to plan in advance what they are going to buy and to purchase ‘only what is really needed.’
This will avoid a last minute rush and ‘compulsive and improvised’ purchases, said the Junta, meanwhile deals and offers can be compared to reduce the impact on your wallet.
“It is always advisable to make a shopping list to plan properly, as well as to set a budget to adjust to when buying to avoid spending more money than you have,” the press release said.
The Junta also said it is better to pay in cash to keep track of how much you are spending and to always ask a shop about its return policy.
One should always keep the receipt, the Junta advised, and check if a store adheres to the Consumer Arbitration System, which guarantees that any dispute can be resolved quickly and free of charge and without the need to go to court.
