Contemporary Consumer Trends

Abstract

The spread of the use of the Internet in economic and social life has undeniably contributed to the development of the digital economy. Thus, it is hard to imagine that it won’t affect consumer behavior. The primary purpose of this study is to identify current trends shaping consumer behavior. This goal was achieved primarily through a critical analysis of the literature on the subject and social phenomena. For at least the past several decades, consumerism has been a particularly important phenomenon in developed countries. In opposition to consumerism stands another trend that has been experiencing a worldwide renaissance since the 1960s—that is, minimalism. One of the important trends described in the study is the virtualization of consumption. However, the text also highlights groups of consumers who are much slower to adapt to the use of modern tools, namely the digitally excluded. An attempt was also made to characterize minimalism. Its philosophical origins are indicated, and some contemporary scientific findings are presented, the results of which may have strong relevance to business practice.