EDITORIAL COMMENT
Brexit has been like the toothache. We all know that feeling when it becomes the only thing you can think about, and if only the pain would go away your whole life would be happy and entirely problem-free. And then you have the tooth out and suddenly all the other problems reclaim their place in your life
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Marlinda Conway Editor in Chief
E
xactly one year ago, in the first GC issue again to give them our full attention. Having (or of 2019, this column was complaining even believing we have) a clear idea of what’s about the inability of politicians to get it in front of us, is a challenge we can rise to with done, and the serious effect this was having on new vigour and no distractions. When consumers UK businesses. have more confidence that they can see the road And then, in our last issue of 2019, the theme ahead – however hard it may be - they’re willing was the same, and we were demanding: “for to invest in their own lives, and to spend money heaven’s sake just give us a result – any on the goods and services that will make result – so we can plan what to do their lives better. next.” Interestingly, one of the big Well, we have a result. As problems the public seems to “The first of 31 January 2020 the UK have taken an even greater euphoria of relief is no longer a member of interest in at the beginning now gives way to the the European Union, and of this new decade is realisation that, on top we have, by all accounts, climate change. Whether of all those neglected left with a deal. So now, or not you believe it’s problems, there’s with that troublesome tooth happening, the general still a lot of work extracted and the pain dying consensus is that it can no away, all the other problems to do” longer be denied, and many we always had, and that we individuals believe they can should have been addressing for help mitigate it by taking personal the last three years, are right here responsibility for the things they buy again, older and bigger and uglier and more and the energy and resources they consume. acute than before because of neglect. It is going to be a major theme in domestic The first euphoria of relief now gives way to electrical appliances in 2020 and beyond, the realisation that, on top of all those neglected and where there is a general consumer problems, there’s still a lot of work to do and appetite for reducing personal and household a lot of negotiations to be concluded before carbon footprints, there is an opportunity for our disentanglement from the EU is really manufacturers and retailers to work together to accomplished. deliver the appliances and the information to But there really does seem to be a kind of satisfy it. muted optimism in the country. We know we have It’s a genuine win/win: Save the planet. Sell problems, but we also know we are able once more appliances.
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JAN/FEB 2020
Terry Heath Editorial & Publishing Director
Will Dobson Creative Director
James McIntosh Consumer Consultant
George Cole Consumer Electronics Consultant
