This simple outlay can add billions to the economy
If every household were to spend an extra $10 a week on Australian-made products, it would inject an extra $5 billion into the economy each year and create up to 11,000 new jobs, according to new research from Roy Morgan.
Ben Lazzaro, chief executive at advocacy group Australian Made, wants consumers to be aware of the massive impact their purchases can have in boosting the economy and urges shoppers to buy one extra Australian-made product a week.
More than 4000 businesses are licensed with the green-and-gold Australian Made logo, the only registered country-of-origin certification trademark for Australian products and produce.
Australia Made ambassador, model, businesswoman, designer and social media influencer Elyse Knowles says $10 is a small price to pay to help support local makers and growers.
“There are so many high quality Australian products,” Ms Knowles says. “In nearly every product category there’s an Aussie option – so why wouldn’t you want to buy local?”
Mr Lazarro told Business Insider Australia that particularly in the current economic climate, as international border closures, trade disputes and rolling lockdowns affect businesses, it’s more important for consumers to think about who their money is going to.
He says the pandemic has shown Australians “the importance and the impact their purchasing decisions can have when they do choose to buy local and support not only local manufacturers and growers but also businesses.”
He says that with the increasing likelihood we “will all be spending a lot more time in Australia”, the silver lining is the opportunity to support more local businesses and makers.
Every Australian Made product purchased is directly supporting a sector of 900,000 people and thousands of businesses across the supply chain, Mr Lazarro says, with one job in manufacturing producing three to four jobs in other parts of the economy.
Have you become more conscious of buying Australian made? Are you prepared to pay a little extra to do that?
We always look for Australian Made, or produced, but sometimes it can be difficult with deceptive labelling.
It would be much easier if the Australian content was displayed on the labels, such as 100% or 60% etc. The problem there would be whether that was a statement of $value or the actual material content.
It also has to take into account that as a trading nation our economy depends on trade with other countries so overseas products will always have a place here. Personally I think it is a trifle outrageous to have basic food imported into this country. Fine if it is a cultural food not produced locally but other than that it shouldn't be happening.
Manufactured goods are a category on their own with the decline of our industries and so much was down to companies being able to source more cheaply overseas, even the Government does this, and Australia is not alone with this due to Globalisation. This has allowed big Corporation to move their manufacturing to the cheapest labour countries.