“Small business - The scourge plaguing our high streets” (2024)
In today’s society, online consumerism reigns supreme, and our high streets have become a shadow of what they once were.
Habits have shifted, and so have our expectations, we navigate our shopping districts with the assumption we can get exactly what we want. If they don’t have it, someone else will.
And with the internet bursting with online retailers vying for your attention, throwing subscriber offers, Black Friday bargains and last chance to buy discounts down our throats, is it any wonder we’ve become slaves to online consumerism?
Customers have morphed into comparison websites, scouring the internet for a better price while standing in front of a small business owner who awaits the inevitable - “I can get this cheaper online” diatribe.
The line between expectation and reality is skewed beyond any recognition, and this exhibition of protest posters aims to highlight the very real struggle that independent businesses face from much larger corporations and online retailers.
Alex Sowa is a screen printer and pop artist, and co-founder of The Art Haus.
