We are increasingly accustomed to reading the well-known "Made in China" on labels. Something that invades us in every aspect of our lives, from food to locomotion. From textiles to manufactured products. In an increasingly globalized world we are losing the essence of being ourselves and we are changing it drastically. We have reached a point where it seems that everything that comes from outside has a higher value than what is produced in our country.
This change, which in principle could be an advance, since it is the direct consequence of evolution, development and improved communications, comes as a poisoned gift. Today, accustomed to importing almost everything that is sold in our country, we find ourselves with a terrible added problem, the increasingly high costs of bringing these goods from abroad.
We refer to the so-called freight, which is nothing more than what we pay for the displacement of a load in a means of transport. In other words, what it costs to bring it from the destination country to Spain for subsequent sale. To give us an idea, the increase of this transport in the last year has been 3,000%. In concrete figures, in June 2020 bringing a container from Asia to Spain cost between $1,583 and $2,000. Today, 13 months later, it costs between $10,361 and $12,000. A disproportionate increase, disproportionate and dangerous for the economy of our country.
Among the reasons that are undoubtedly being considered is the joker of all evils, Covid, or the excuse for everything that has been happening since last March. In addition, there was also the temporary blockage in the Suez Canal at the end of March when a ship ran aground, paralyzing maritime trade for several days. The consequences were not long in coming. Today it costs 3,000 times more to bring in goods from abroad and, as always, this increase has an impact on sales, on the end consumer, who is the one who suffers the ups and downs of international trade policy.
In addition to this, we have the second of the incongruities. It has become fashionable, and rightly so, to talk about sustainability, the environment, environmental protection and being 100 x 100 eco for the sake of future generations. We talk about sustainability, yes, but all efforts fall on deaf ears when transporting goods from one continent to another. It is not only the disproportionate cost involved, it is the carbon footprint that it leaves on its way across the sea from Asia to the Spanish coast.
The environment is taking the brunt of it. The fuel used in the ships, planes and trucks that transport the goods are leaving a terrible environmental footprint on the planet as a direct consequence of the climate change that has been taking place in recent decades. It makes no sense that entire governments strive to be "eco friendly" if they then allow this expulsion of polluting gases by seas and oceans.
For all these reasons, at Decoraciones EGEA we are committed to national or even European production. We are part of a monetary union with common European policies, so let's focus on reindustrializing Europe, Spain and the Balearic Islands. Let's buy at a shorter distance and learn to supply ourselves with local production because, if we really want to be sustainable, we must focus on the production, purchase and export and import of products 1,000 kilometers away and not 10,000. Let's give an opportunity to local companies, let's favor the work of local people and let's generate wealth in our environment.