Anti-Consumption as the Study of Reasons against

Abstract

Anti-consumption studies are gaining in popularity, but doubt remains as to whether they can add anything unique to consumer research and marketing that other similar topics cannot. This article attempts to explain the distinctive nature of anti-consumption and how it can contribute to the understanding of marketing beyond other related phenomena, such as ethical consumption, environmental consumption, consumer resistance, and symbolic consumption. Drawing upon reasons theory, the article contends that the “reasons against” consumption are not always the logical opposite of the “reasons for” consumption and there are important differences between phenomena of negation and affirmation. By focusing on the reasons against consumption, anti-consumption research acts as a lens that scholars and practitioners may use to view similar phenomena in a new light. The article illustrates this point by offering anti-consumption as an overarching perspective that spans a range of behavioral and thematic contexts, thereby revealing its unique contribution to marketing.

Less is more: is a green demarketing strategy sustainable?

“…Indeed, certain factions of anticonsumers hold oppositional attitudes towards consumption based purely on personalrather than societalconcerns (Craig-Lees & Hill, 2002;Iyer & Muncy, 2009). However, an abundance of current research also supports anti-consumption induced by pro-social concerns in general (Chatzidakis & Lee, 2013;Galvagno, 2011;Lee, Motion, & Conroy, 2009) and ecological concerns in particular (Cherrier, 2009;Hutter & Hoffmann, 2013;Iyer & Muncy, 2009).…”

Unmanageable multiplicity: consumer transformation towards moral self coherence

“…Sources of consumer motivation underpinning the growth in ethical consumerism include: the evolution of consumption as a means of constructing selfimage and extended self (Niinimaki, 2010); a growing sense of responsibility and empowerment to address global issues (Connolly and Prothero, 2008); the politicisation of consumption in the face of unsustainable consumption consequences (Giddens, 1990); and, as a result of consumers being increasingly confronted with the externalities of our consumption-driven society (Newholm and Shaw, 2007;Chatzidakis and Lee, 2013).…”

Understanding the Attitude-Behavior Gap for Renewable Energy Systems Using Behavioral Reasoning Theory

“…However, consumers' decision to not adopt may not coincide with negative attitudes or low environmental values. Likewise, a person who adopts solar panels may have done so to save money on electricity, but it is unlikely that people who do not adopt solar panels do so because they want to waste money (Chazidakis and Lee 2013). Thus, by distinguishing between reasons for and reasons against behavior this study hopes to shed light on the attitude-behavior gap in the context of renewable energy.…”