Why 'Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy' is a Wake-Up Call for Fashion

Image: Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy Credit: Buy Now / Netflix

By Alix Coombs

It’s no secret that the fashion industry has a problem rooted in overproduction, exploitation, and a never-ending cycle of consumption. Netflix’s newly released documentary Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy takes this issue and lays it bare, exposing the inner workings of an economy that thrives on encouraging us to consume more than we need, at a pace we can’t sustain.

The film doesn’t just ask why we shop, it asks how we’re made to shop. From the carefully engineered allure of ‘limited-time offers’ to the manipulative algorithms that target us online, the documentary shines a harsh light on the machinery driving consumerism. And, predictably, it’s the fashion industry that plays a starring role in this system, with fast fashion at the forefront of the overconsumption epidemic.

Buy Now is an uncomfortable but necessary watch. While a lot of the blame often falls on consumers for falling prey to the convenience of cheap, disposable fashion, the documentary is an important reminder of why we need to hold brands and corporations accountable for the role they play in relentlessly targeting consumers, and how they do it. As brands tout sustainability slogans and greenwashed campaigns, they often fail to address the fundamental issue: the industry is still producing far too much, far too fast.

What’s striking about Buy Now is how it frames shopping as a deliberate construct, one that ties consumerism to personal identity, self-worth, and even morality. It’s a system we’ve all bought into, literally and figuratively. But the film also challenges us to imagine a different way forward, where mindful consumption and meaningful production replace the never ending stream of ‘new in’ that seems to be coming at us faster than ever before.

This isn’t just a film for the curious shopper; it’s a call to action for everyone—designers, retailers, policymakers, and yes, consumers—who believes the fashion industry can and must do better. If the sector is serious about sustainability, it’s time to move beyond surface-level fixes and dismantle the systems that profit from waste and exploitation.