consumerism

an organized movement to protect the interests of CONSUMERS by forcing companies to behave in a more socially responsible manner. The movement developed in response to the increasing technical complexity of products, the growing power of big businesses and environmental pollution. In many countries there are now consumer bodies, such as the Consumer Association in the UK, which provide product-testing facilities and publish comparative information on products through magazines such as Which. See GREEN CONSUMER.

consumerism

an organized movement to protect the economic interests of CONSUMERS. The movement developed in response to the growing market power of large companies and the increasing technical complexity of products. It embraces bodies such as the Consumers’ Association in the UK, which is concerned with product testing and informing consumers through publications such as Which? Consumerism has been officially incorporated into British COMPETITION POLICY since the 1973 FAIR TRADING ACT. See CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Collins Dictionary of Economics, 4th ed. © C. Pass, B. Lowes, L. Davies 2005

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References in periodicals archive

For example: what exactly is so bad about consumerism and school commercialism?

Captive Audience: How Corporations Invaded our Schools

The aspirations and anxieties attendant on modern consumerism have generated a pathology to darken its triumphalism, addressed here in a review of major theorists: Marx on fetishism, Veblen on the fever of social emulation, and Baudrillard on consumption as a form of hysteria.

The Making of Consumer Culture in Modern Britain

"I am happy to see in them no-nonsense attitudes about values that embrace superficiality and narcissistic and mindless consumerism."

Group to rally against plastic surgery

Another consumer, Mrs Ngozi Franklin, believes for consumerism to thrive in the country, the nation's banking sector too must be designed to enhance consumers' experience.

World Consumer Day: Despite celebrations, the hues and cries continue

One of the major beneficiaries of consumerism are banks which are issuing credit cards indiscriminately.

The Price of Consumerism

A Kaufman Hall report on the state of consumerism in healthcare, which was based on an online survey of more than 100 hospital and health system executives, found that 70 percent of leaders said consumer-related insights is an above-average priority, but less than one-quarter said they have advanced capabilities in place, referring to the capability to apply consumer insights to healthcare service design.

Is Your Health System Prepared for Consumerism? Many health system executive leaders see consumerism as a key to growth, and robust data and analytics will play a critical role

"I think we have to be honest and ask whether we are giving permission to ourselves to fall into consumerism by telling ourselves it's OK because we are adding in a little dose of charity," Cloutier says.

Checkout charity

So, how can our society reduce consumerism and its ill effects?

Consumerism, Marketing, and the Cardinal Virtues

Healthcare consumerism describes healthcare empowerment and the transfer of knowledge so that patients are more educated in the use of their healthcare dollars, more active in the decision-making process and more focused on the outcomes received for their expenditures.

Healthcare consumerism: moving toward cost transparency and patient engagement

"In a society so often intoxicated by consumerism and hedonism, wealth and extravagance, appearances and narcissism, this child calls us to act soberly, in other words, in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential."

Society 'intoxicated by consumerism' - Pope