Another contribution to Singapore’s particular consumer mania is the never-ending calendar of sales from major corporations and brands. — The Straits Times
AMONG the hottest buzzwords across social media platforms is “underconsumption core”.
This is where people have started to accept it is okay to stop overbuying and, instead, make the most of what they already have and buy only what they need.
Young people across the globe are starting to understand that the consumption level of celebrities and influencers is out of touch with the reality of most people on an average wage.
In Singapore, we have seen young Singaporeans embrace this lifestyle.
It also reflects their need to cut back on expenses amid the rising cost of living.
However, this awakening is up against deeply ingrained cultural forces.
Singapore’s consumer landscape is designed to fuel overconsumption, and the only way to change this is to fundamentally change our attitudes towards consumption and the idea of consumerism.
Which begs the question: Will underconsumption be a lasting practice in Singapore, or just a fleeting behavioural micro-trend?
How many of us have done this: Joined a queue snaking around the mall to get a new edition of a really popular bag? Or rushed to get the latest shoe drop?
How about buying figurine blind boxes – which are sealed so you don’t know the specific design from a series you are getting – every week, including the plushies in the recent “Labubu” craze made popular by K-pop girl group Blackpink’s Lisa?
This behaviour is inherently an expansion of Singapore’s much-vaunted kiasu culture – the fear of missing out.
In a way, while it plays a role in our identity, this kiasu-ness encourages us to keep up with others, by consuming.
Our mindless consumption arises because the anxiety of not being subscribed to the next big thing reduces our perceived social attractiveness.
By this, I mean we are not joining the popular group, which in Asian society can mark us as outsiders.
Another contributor to Singapore’s particular consumer mania is the never-ending calendar of sales from major corporations and brands.
In the past, Singapore’s retail and consumer industries would largely participate in the Great Singapore Sale, organised by the Singapore Retailers Association to encourage tourism and additional expenditure in the republic’s major shopping districts.
Today, we are spoiled for choice with monthly sales like 6.6 and 11.11, and sales that take place during major holiday periods such as National Day – with items that are red or white sometimes heavily marked down.
A purchase that would not normally have been made happens anyway because of the irresistible savings on offer.
Many local businesses offer express delivery, which is typically two to three business days, or better yet, same-day delivery on purchases.
With the constant influx of push notifications, it may prompt consumers to shop more often because the gratification received is gone as fast as it has come.
A study in 2023 supports this, with 60% of Singaporeans making a purchase at least once a week.
The average Singaporean also spent US$137.40 per order in 2023, an increase of nearly US$4 from the year before.
Then, there’s the attitude that success in Singapore is equated to what you own, how much you own, and where these things were bought from.
People are tempted to splash out on branded goods, whether luxury or for the masses, so they look “successful”.
In a research study done in 2019, 55% of respondents felt that good-looking people tend to be more successful.
You might not be able to alter your physical appearance, but you can control what you wear to present attractiveness – embodying that may propel overconsumption, too.
Vintage shopping, once an alternative source of shopping within a budget – especially for young people – and which contributes to the circular economy, has now become expensive for many.
In some ways, it has resulted in purchasing more than one needs to, rather than contributing to the circular economy.
Part of the reason for increased spending is the impact of shifting trends. Youth culture is heavily influenced by rapidly shifting aesthetics driven by social media.
In 2023, we saw the “clean girl aesthetic” and “coquette core”, and most recently, pop culture dabbled with “brat summer” and the “office siren”.
Speaking with Vogue Business, eCommerce company Depop spokeswoman Agus Panzoni said that trends are “moving towards a more fluid state” where consumers incorporate products and elements into their own style.
While this is a healthy step forward, many young people who might be on a journey of self-discovery may feel the need to conform to the latest aesthetic rather than build long-term, individual identities based on personal style.
The ever-evolving and popular aesthetic umbrellas may also result in people buying more to subscribe to the different styles.
This is further propelled by user-generated content, with new products steadily churned out via algorithms on social media platforms.
User-generated content is also 9.8 times more effective than influencer content when persuading a consumer to make a purchase, according to a report by eCommerce platform Nosto.
Underconsumption also feels like the cousin of Marie Kondo’s minimalist practice of clearing out things in which one no longer finds joy.
Except this time, underconsumption is making sure your purchases last longer and are bang for your buck – even if it means they are collected and remain in your home.
Another contributor to our local consumption habits is the routine of new collections coming out weekly – the business model for several local eCommerce brands that cater to women.
This entices consumers and frequent buyers to always be on the lookout for the new, trendy item, whether or not it fits their style or wardrobe.
Many such brands heavily rely on influencers – or “key opinion leaders”, as some are termed – to flaunt their products and create an inflated sense of living and status.
In a 2023 Rakuten Insight survey on social media influencers, nearly 50% of Singaporean respondents stated that they “purchased an item or product because it had been endorsed by an influencer”.
Influencers are commonly understood to live a life that differs from the norm, with a higher consumption rate solely due to brand partnerships and endorsement.
They consistently promote products but their way of consumption is unlike how regular people consume – which is, until a product is finished or unusable, rather than being surpassed by a new version.
Many netizens do highlight that underconsumption is just regular consumption. However, shouldn’t this be obvious?
At the tail end of 2023, “deinfluencers” took the main stage on TikTok to prevent people from buying into micro-trends that will not last forever. Despite their efforts, micro-trends continue to thrive on social media.
If people are starting to see influencers as living rarefied, lavish lives, yet still buy into their recommendations weekly, are we not still chasing that ideal?
Either way, their influence drives overconsumption, and companies relying on them to meet sales targets only fuel this further.
So while there is growing awareness about underconsumption here, if we are to see real change, it will take a fundamental shift in how we value success and individuality.
Only then will underconsumption become a lasting practice, and not just another fleeting phase in Singapore’s consumer-driven culture. — The Straits Times/ANN
Larissa Santhana Nair works in communications with a focus on marketing, creative advertising, public relations and brand management. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.
