I don't mean this snarkily: I think you have a higher opinion of retail shopping than me. Some people certainly enjoy it. Even I enjoy it sometimes. But:

  > They're exchanging money for time to do passive activities 
  > they don't like and don't make them feel good. That is not 
  > a benefit.

I would describe shopping as "exchanging time and money to do something I don't like and doesn't make me feel good" so... again, it's not an upgrade to me. But let's focus on a part of what you said:

  > passive activities they don't like and don't make them feel good.

This is a real problem. And I don't mean to gloss over it. I have gone through stretches like this. It more or less fits the definition of anhedonia which is one potential criteria for a diagnosis of depression.

But here's the key question: what's the causal relationship here? It's very easy for me to believe that a depressed person would want to avoid shopping trips; it's much less clear to me that avoiding shopping trips could possibly cause depression.

Sounds like the problem is people being depressed, not people avoiding shopping trips.