Written by Understanding Consumerism. If consumer culture has been shaped by decades of marketing, economic policies, and social norms, we won’t undo it overnight.
Let’s be honest—most of us have bought something we didn’t need. Maybe it was a trendy gadget, on sale and too good to pass up. Or a little retail therapy after a long day. It’s normal. But our collective buying habits tell a much bigger story. One that’s shaping our planet’s future.
Consumerism isn’t just about what we buy; it’s about the systems that encourage us to keep buying. And while consumption itself isn’t inherently bad, the scale and speed at which we’re doing it today have serious consequences. We need an understanding of consumerism to be able to deal with it.
How Did We Get Here?
People have always traded, bought, and sold goods, but consumerism as we know it today is a relatively modern invention.
1. The Industrial Revolution (18th–19th Century). Mass production made goods cheaper and more accessible. More people could afford more things.
2. The Rise of Advertising (20th Century). As factories churned out products, companies needed ways to sell them. Enter marketing, branding, and the idea that products could offer not only utility, but identity (Ewen, 1976).
3. Post-War Boom (Mid-20th Century). After WWII, economies grew, wages rose, and consumer credit expanded. Shopping became a leisure activity, and disposable culture took hold (Cohen, 2003).
4. The Digital Age (21st Century). Online shopping, fast fashion, and influencer culture have made impulse buying easier. Today, the average person owns five times more clothing than in the 1980s (Remy et al., 2016).
5. Economically, consumer spending drives growth and job creation. Culturally, media and advertising promote consumerist values.
Psychologically, individuals may seek fulfillment or status through the acquisition of goods.
The result? A global economy built on constant consumption—and a planet struggling to keep up.
The Environmental Cost of Consumerism
Every product we buy has a footprint, from the resources it takes to make it to where it ends up when we’re done with it.
Resource Extraction: The raw materials for our stuff—wood, water, minerals, fossil fuels—come from somewhere. For example, making a single cotton T-shirt requires 2,700 litres of water, enough for one person to drink for 2.5 years (WWF, 2014).
Manufacturing Emissions: The production of goods accounts for a significant chunk of global carbon emissions. Fashion alone contributes 8-10% of global CO₂ emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined (UNECE, 2018).
Waste and Pollution: With the rise of fast fashion and cheap electronics, we’re throwing things away faster than ever. E-waste is the world’s fastest-growing waste stream, with 50 million metric tons generated annually (Forti et al., 2020).
Many of these discarded items were not broken—they’ve been replaced by something newer and shinier.
Breaking the Cycle: A More Conscious Approach
Consumerism isn’t going away overnight, but we can rethink how we engage with it.
1. Buy Less, Buy Better – Instead of impulse purchases, invest in durable, high-quality items that last.
2. Repair, Repurpose, Reuse – A rip in your jeans or a cracked phone screen doesn’t have to mean the end. Repairing and upcycling extend product lifespans (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017).
3. Think Beyond Trends – Many industries thrive on making things feel outdated. But classic, versatile choices can outlast fads.
4. Support Circular Economy Efforts – Companies embracing repairability, resale, and recycling are changing the game. Patagonia, for example, offers a Worn Wear program to repair and resell used gear (Patagonia, 2023).
Why It Matters
If consumer culture has been shaped by decades of marketing, economic policies, and social norms, we won’t undo it overnight. But every mindful purchase, every repair, and every decision to buy less sends a signal.
Consumerism isn’t just about buying—it’s about power. Understanding consumerism is the first step towards making more intentional choices, shifting the system toward sustainability.
References
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2017). A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future.
Patagonia. (2023). Worn Wear: Better than new.