Ielts writing task 2.

In some countries, small town-center shops are going out of business because people tend to drive to large out-of-town stores. As a result, people without cars have limited access to out-of-town stores, and it may result in an increase in the use of cars. Do you think the disadvantages of this change outweigh its advantages?

In some nations, since shoppers are opting for large out-of-town shops, those located outside metropolises are prone to closure. This, in turn, leads to the increasing volume of traffic when people begin to buy cars to follow the tendency. Personally, I firmly believe that the upsides of this are eclipsed by its downsides as it may disadvantage urban shoppers, suburban residents, and manual workers.

First, driving to hypermarkets can offer a more comfortable and favorable shopping atmosphere for shoppers. Unarguably, suburban stores would not likely be much affected by the perpetually increasing volume of vehicles, especially during rush hours in the city centers, hence a quieter and less congested area. However, this experience can be easily shattered when more and more people drive their vehicles to those stores.

Second, the cost of goods in hypermarkets is universally regarded cheaper than that in the city due to several reasons such as lower rent and lower wages for workers. Consequently, people are more content to move to these shopping locations to purchase the same items at a more reasonable price. In fact, as more and more people divert their shopping activities to those out-of-town supermarkets, the retailers may try to capitalize on this to gain as much money as possible by certain methods namely raising the cost of goods. Thus, after a while, clients are perversely supposed to pay as much as they used to in the city.

Moreover, the tendency to shop at such locations may also complicate the lives of manual workers. For example, service staff and security guards may struggle to find a new occupation, as most of them are not properly educated ones, who run a higher risk of being jobless than anyone else. Indeed, most of them cannot afford a car to go shopping at those far-off supermarkets, which will possibly further inconvenience their daily lives.

In conclusion, I strongly opine that not only does the shift towards shopping in large out-of-town stores spoil the shopping experience of most people, but also exacerbates the already difficult lives of certain workers.