Towards an Understanding of Consumption Objectors

This article studies the topic of meaning in consumption practices that are related to the critics of consuming society. In a postmodern world characterized by symbolism in consumption and a global “crisis of meanings”, a deep critical posture of consuming society is studied through its contribution to identity construction processes among “very responsible” consumers whom we refer to as “consumption objectors.” An interpretative analysis of fourteen narratives from forty interviews enables us to enter into the details of the meanings given by these consumers to their consumption by studying how they construct their identity. Through this analysis, the article shows that all consumption objectors have a certain set of common features: quest for authenticity, social integration, control, suffer and the sensation of compromise.

Citation:

Marie-Helene Fosse-Gomez and Nil Ozcaglar-Toulouse (2007) ,"Towards an Understanding of Consumption Objectors", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 8, eds. Stefania Borghini, Mary Ann McGrath, and Cele Otnes, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 493-497.