When TikTok’s underconsumption trend meets festive excess | Global News Avenue

Secret Santa, Christmas stockings and presents under the tree – gift giving is at the heart of Christmas.

But should it be?

This year, more and more people are exploring underconsumption—a trend in which shopping and miracle must-buys are replaced by reusing beloved items and buying less.

It became an instant hit on TikTok, with mentions soaring nearly 40,000% in the UK earlier this year.

Experts say this resonates with young people affected by the cost of living crisis and concerned about climate change, as they want to make sustainable changes.

But can you combine this lifestyle with a time of year that many consider excessive consumption and indulgence?

Underspending means buying less unnecessary stuff and letting the products you already own go further.

This may not sound that radical, especially if you’re used to increasing your weekly budget.

Author and creator Andrea Cheong told BBC Newsbeat: “This highlights a very normal behavior.”

“But in the world of TikTok or Instagram, it feels so unnatural that it goes viral.”

On a platform built around advertising and glamorizing lifestyles, the hashtag stands out and Andrea does think underconsumption is different because “it’s a habit, not a trend”.

“People who share what they do in their daily lives, they do it all the time,” she said.

“They may have been taught this by their parents.”

At Christmas, with big-budget marketing campaigns, pressure to share gifts and perfectly arranged luxury home décor shared online, choosing to buy and consume less can feel like a challenge.

Darwin Arnold, a retail worker living in Brighton, said: “Companies spend millions of pounds on advertising to make you want to go out and buy the item immediately.”

Darwin, who shares sustainability tips online in her spare time, said she doesn’t want a gift for Christmas this year.

She admits “the hardest step” is telling your family.

“My grandma, she was one of those people who liked to put all the presents under the tree,” she said.

“It was her way of showing love and her way of making me feel special.”

Darwin says it pays to be honest with loved ones and can help come up with alternative ideas for gifts, such as experiences rather than products.

Influencer Charlie Gill, from Manchester, has been sharing sustainability tips on social media for six years and says her content has taken off since the underconsumption trend began.

She turns her attention to Christmas, suggesting ways to streamline decorations, gift wrapping and even Christmas dinner.

“There are a lot of small steps that everyone can take,” she said.

“Consider how much food you’re buying, don’t overbuy and make sure you actually eat the leftovers.”

Charlie makes her own decorations, and this year she made a Christmas tree out of magazines, as well as “stars out of toilet paper and stuff like that”.

Some people don’t like the homemade aesthetic, and Charli admits her holiday decorations got some hate on TikTok last year, but she says it doesn’t put her off.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people celebrating Christmas in different ways,” she said.

“There are different ways to give gifts and create the Christmas you want, while also reducing consumption and not creating too much waste.”

Underconsumption may be a new label, but it’s not a new idea.

Professor Caroline Moraes from the University of Birmingham said: “This is not a new problem but rather a persistent phenomenon that has been labeled differently at different times and in different ways.”

One example, she said, is the 19th-century voluntary simplicity movement, which promoted anti-consumerist lifestyles.

Professor Caroline, a marketing and consumer expert who specializes in sustainable consumption, said the renewed interest in 2024 could inform us about today’s concerns.

She said it showed a greater concern about the environment and the cost of living crisis, but also a greater awareness of brand ethics and where the things we buy come from.

Earlier this year, fast fashion giant Shein said Two cases of child labor discovered in its supply chainSome luxury perfume Also related to child labor and concerns about child labor The fashion industry’s environmental credentials was widely reported.

“I think we are all starting to realize that we need to play our part in addressing the challenges of sustainability and the climate crisis we face,” Professor Caroline said.

Author Andrea believes that the sudden rise in interest also indicates that people are tired of consumer culture.

“I think people like me are really excited about underconsumption because we share the same mission, which is ‘let’s slow down,'” she said.

“But really, it’s rooted in a lack of control over the cost of living.”

Last week’s data showed that the price was Fastest rise since March.

Although the cost Turkey and sprouts cut the cost of Christmas dinner Prices for potatoes, carrots and parsnips have risen significantly this year.

“When life feels chaotic and overwhelming, you always pull people back into slower things,” Andrea says.

Trends come and go, but Newsbeat respondents said underspending could trigger meaningful changes in our shopping habits throughout the year.

“We’re conditioned to think we need to increase our consumption because this is the time of year to do so,” Professor Caroline said.

“Trying to consume less violates the norms of consumer culture.

“So I think it’s really a good thing that these influencers are out there because they’re questioning excessive consumption patterns, they’re questioning some of the lifestyles that have come along with social media and trying to get us back to normal consumption patterns.” .

Charlie said she witnessed the conversation in the comments under the video and believed “a lot of people were really into it.”

“Everyone is trying to live more sustainably in any way because every little thing we do makes an impact.”

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