Over 50% of Hong Kongers Are Hoarders and Obsessive Shoppers, Survey Finds

The statistics gathered by sustainable development organization Wofoo Social Enterprise have attributed the causes for excessive shopping to greed, insecurities and even inner emptiness.

There’s a significant amount of Hong Kong citizens who buy items in large quantities, with cosmetics and bracelets being among the most popular items being purchased.

According to South China Morning Post, over 30% admitted to owning six or more backpacks while over 40% admitted to having as much as 11 or more pairs of shoes.

Wofoo Leaders’ Network supervisor Michael Ma wanted to “raise awareness on this issue” since they’re trying to urge people into developing a minimalist way of life. Although psychiatrist Dr. Chung See-Yuen explained that not all people who are into shopping sprees are considered as compulsive hoarders.

“If someone does not feel guilty or distressed at all, then he or she will not be seen as a compulsive hoarder or shopper,” Dr. Chung added.

However, those displaying negative traits stemming from excessive shopping tend to be indecisive and are prone to becoming chronic procrastinators.

Meanwhile, a previous survey earlier this year showed similar results when it comes to the excessive expenditures of Hong Kong residents.

According to The Standard, a survey by Greenpeace revealed that 40% of Hong Kong locals have excessive and unnecessary clothing expenditures every week, while 30% spend three hours on online shopping.

In addition, the average 350 Hong Kong dollar ($44) monthly expenditure of Taiwan residents pales in comparison to the 800 Hong Kong dollar ($102) monthly expenditure of Hong Kong citizens.

Despite the massive expenditures of compulsive shoppers, 60% of respondents admitted that the excitement of a purchase usually die-off in less than a day, and 35% admitted to feeling “even emptier than before” after their purchase.

“Hong Kong people wish to gain happiness and self-confidence via shopping, but when the short-term satisfaction is gone, all you can get is an overdrawn credit card, a closet full of unwanted clothes, and even emptier feeling,” Greenpeace campaigner Bonnie Tang Man-lam emphasized.

Featured Image via Flickr / Mitch Altman (CC BY-SA 2.0)