How to get a world famous brand bag with the least possible budget? A good imitation fake bag, a receipt and a paper carry bag will make that wish come true.

Nowadays, some people who cannot afford top brand products are buying paper carry bags with brand names or logos to gratify their vanity. Some are even finding top brand labels, instruction books and receipts sold online.

These purchases, which are not for practical needs, but merely to show off and gratify the owners'vanity, are called "face consumptions".

A survey of 1,104 people conducted by China Youth Daily shows 84.2 percent interviewees think "face consumptions" are widespread amid young people.

As for "face consumptions", 48.4 percent interviewees show their distain; 39.9 percent express their sympathy; 36.5 percent feel indignation; 30.3 percent are indifferent and 5.1 percent approve the practise.

According to the survey, clothes (75.3%), gifts (60.7%) and cars (59.5%) rank in the top three as the most likely sectors in which "face consumption" occurs, followed by electronic goods (55.6), catering (50.5%), liquor and tobacco (49.5%), cosmetics (43.9%) and entertainment (26.9%).

I not only buy a paper bag but earn a face.

"You cannot tell any difference between the fake packaging bags and the true one," a buyer said who bought a fake Louis Vuitton paper carry bag. "It is so cool that people think I have bought a Louis Vuitton bag, when I bring along this paper bag."

One Internet user named "Pengpeng and Pipi" said: "When buying a fake top brand packaging paper bag, I feel that I gain a higher social status, a good mood and earn my face."

Nowadays many young people have gotten used to "face consumptions" and over consumptions. A car website survey shows half of the post-80s and 90s generation have bought or plan to buy a car before the age of 30.

Why do many people tend to "face consumptions"?

When asked in a survey why young people tend to "face consumptions",a young white collar worker Shan Xiuqin said many people judge people by outward appearances. She took buying clothes as an example: "If I do not dress decently, I am often ignored by the shop assistants of some department stores. And that really hurts my self-esteem a lot."

Tong Kun is a freshman at Hubei University. He has found out that almost every student in his class has a laptop, and those who do not have one feel depressed, urging their parents to buy one for them. And Tong said his classmates devoted more and more attention to branded products. Some students who can’t afford them usually buy fake ones for less than half the cost.

He added many face consumptions originated from being compared with one’s peers. Some students from poor families usually tended to face consume to gain back their self-confidence.

The Director of the Psychological Center of Fudan University, Sun Shijin pointed out the close relationship between a lack of respect in one’s childhood and some young people liking "face consumptions and over consumptions".

They wanted to find a direct and simple way to gain respect. Today’s society has misled some young people, educating them to highlight themselves only by materials such as branded clothes which earned them so called faces and filled up their empty spirits. And business people took full advantage of this weakness of human nature to make a fortune.

The Vice Director of the Institute of Economics Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Yang Chunxue said "face consumptions" were influenced by bad examples of some officials and so called successful people who indulged in ostentation and extravagance. At present, some middle income people are even willing to spend one month’s salary on just a piece of clothing.

"Face consumptions" are more than a matter of money.

"It is not in the interests of the nation’s long term development." Said Yang, "Firstly, few domestic brands are popular amid young people, which will impair the creativities of domestic enterprises and compel them to fabricate overseas brands or become OEMs; secondly, it also goes against the national capital accumulations. Over consumption people not only spend their own money but also the nation’s overall deposit."

Yang argued a good social morality was the key to reduce the phenomen of "face consumptions" and "over consumptions".

In Sun’s view, "Face consumptions" were not absolutely bad. The key was a correct level of guidance. People should learn what their real demands are, and know why they are buying what they do.

Sun said "Many people have realized this point. They can listen to their thoughts. And that’s why Steve Jobsis more popular in China."