BY
Azmil Mohd Amin
Sustainability is the mantra nowadays.
As the number of humans on the
planet rose dramatically during the
20th century, world consumption is
also increasing. The numbers released
from the preliminary count report of the Malaysia
Population and Housing Census 2010 indicates
the total population of Malaysia now stands at
27,565,281. There are 105 males for every 100
females in Malaysia. Examining population trends
over the past few centuries provides a perspective
on current population growth. How does
population and demographic change influence
global consumerism and consumption pattern?
As a human being, we consume a wide variety of
products. Sometime, we consume too much. Some
of the things we consume are not cheap. These
include luxury items and technologies for improved
efficiency. Such extravagant consumption is not
necessarily a bad thing, as throughout history we
have always sought to find ways to make our lives
better. However, increasingly nowadays, there are
important consumerism issues that have raised
global concern. We need to understand them
better so that they do not end up harming us.
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For example, many now ask probing questions as
to how products and resources we consume are
actually produced. They want to know how the
processes of production and consumption impact
on the environment, society, and the individual.
How does the escalating demand on various items
put pressure on the environment? And how do
consumption habits change as societies change?
Global consumption levels and patterns are
normally driven by the rapid global population
growth. With the rise in global wealth and
associated consumption, the global middle
class is expected to triple by 2030; the emerging
Asian middle class presents an attractive market
destination for products ranging from consumer
goods to financial services. However, it still has
a long way to go before it can match the level of
consumption in the US. According to a Deutsche
Bank Research report, compared to the lowerincome
households, the middle class, with their
higher disposable income, have more diversified
consumption choices. Therefore, the emergence
of a large and dynamic middle class would raise
Asia’s profile as an attractive market destination
for all kinds of products. Population growth and
economic development are the forces which drive
consumption around the world. This will continue
unabated as billions of consumers – especially in
China, India and the other emerging economies –
join the buying spree.
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