No Shop Day 1997

This years' International No Shop Day saw hundreds of groups across the planet, and around 50 throughout England, Scotland and Wales take part in actions designed to raise the perennial question How Much is Enough? Despite the fact that The Independent took exception to the dangerous idea that we might,just maybe, need to reduce our consumption of vast quantities of minerals and raw materials if we're going to have a habitable planet for the future, the Manchester stalwarts took to the streets....

A new and alarming 'consumer cult' descended upon unsuspecting shoppers as the city centre echoed to the sounds of satirically intoned advertising slogans: "It's a drivers' car, so drive it", "shop 'til you drop", "Ronald McDonald has time for you". Leaflets invited people to 'join us on our pilgrimage to the sacred temples of spending'. The cult 'members', devotees of the Church of the Rising Profits, were so realistic that shoppers edged away nervously from our leafletters, who had to reassure them that this was, in fact, an event organised as part of No Shop Day. People on the streets seemed variously amused, confused and sometimes even hostile to this full on attack on consumer culture - so the message was also taken onto T.V., radio and into the newspapers, with extensive coverage and debate throughout all major media.

The basic ideas of anti-consumerism - that buying ever-increasing amounts of consumer tat is not good for the planet, producers in the third world or anyone's sense of contentment - will no doubt resurface next year....so if you want info on all the other events that happened or to organise your own next time, contact Enough on 0161 226 6668.