Fast Fashion...but make it consumable

 I don’t usually jump to conform to Geordie stereotypes, but being an avid follower of Greggs’ official instagram (of course) it has not escaped my attention that the fast-food company have just announced a collab with highstreet fast-fashion brand Primark. Maybe you’ve heard of it. 

From a working-class anti-capitalist perspective, I have to say I’m kind of disappointed in Greggs. Sure, we all know on a systemic level that buying our sausage rolls or steak bakes is in a way just enough fuel for us to be able to continue contributing to capitalist production. What good little workers we are.

We know too that the buttery, flaky pastry and delicious processed meat is probably not doing great things for our arteries, or our blood pressure. However, at least the relatively recent masking of capitalism with a moral concern for animal rights with the release of 5 vegan products (so far), adds a sort of moral subtlety to the whole thing. Although in terms of false-consciousness, I’m not sure whether that’s actually worse. 

Either way, I have to pass like 5 of them on my way home. That’s an awful lot of willpower. I don’t mind the years vegan sausage rolls have taken off my life so much if it means fewer pigs are being slaughtered in Greggs’ abattoirs. Whereas this collaboration with retail giant Primark seems ostentatiously exploitative. 

On a global scale of course, this is nothing compared to the abuse of workers in sweat-shops for minimal wages and horrific working conditions just to put cheap t-shirts on the shelves. However, just like putting calories on a menu won't stop us ordering the burger if that's what we're craving, or photos of rotting gums on baccy pouches won't stop us from rolling another cig, the problem lies not with the individual consumer, but with the exploitative system on a mass scale.

Now I will be amongst the first to jump to the defence of working class people who choose a more unhealthy option over a salad because of the significant price difference. When a Greggs will cost you £1.05 (don’t think we’ve not noticed the 5p increase - that’s inflation for you), versus a salad for a minimum of £5.50 at Pret-A-Manger, the choice seems obvious. There is absolutely no point in promoting healthy eating in a society which deprives people of the means to actually make healthy choices. 

The same goes for Primark clothing. I completely understand that not everyone can afford to spend £40 on a pair of Topshop jeans every time they need new clothes. Thrifting is a more sustainable option of course, but it’s time consuming, another thing a lot of working class people simply do not have a lot of. On the up-hand, whilst the poor quality and cheap mass production of Primark clothing means that it doesn’t last very long, if you’re eating Greggs regularly then chances are neither will you.  

Whether it means that blue and yellow hoodies will replace PLT tank tops in students’ wardrobes, or people will be sporting affordable totes with a handy pastry compartment, it’s hard to ignore the exploitative nature of the surprising partnership.