Category Archives: The Stuff of Consumer Culture

What Is Fast Fashion — and Why Is It a Problem?

Your recent clothing haul may have more environmental costs and ethical concerns than you might expect. Read more about how fast fashion has a hidden cost many don’t know they are paying.

Big Food Is Boosted by All Our Pandemic Snacking

While some companies are struggling during the pandemic, major snack companies are bringing in unforeseen profits.

Overpopulation, overconsumption – in pictures

See images from a new book documenting the ecological and social results of overpopulation and overconsumption throughout the world.

Following Garbage’s Long Journey Around The Earth

What happens to the stuff you no longer need? In this interview, author Edward Humes describes the huge amount of trash created in the United States and explains where it goes when we throw it away.

How the Virus Transformed the Way Americans Spend Their Money

See eye-opening graphs of the many ways consumer spending shifted in response to COVID-19.

This is why everyone is hoarding toilet paper

Grocery shopping during a pandemic is already a strange experience involving sanitizing carts and maintaining social distance. But why does it also include whole aisles of empty shelves where toilet paper should be?

Self-control, smells and how our spending is affected

Studies have shown how materialism, loneliness, and even smell affect how consumers spend money. As you read this article, think about your own decision-making when it comes to shopping.

Matty Benedetto is the master of unnecessary inventions

Normally, an inventor strives to create products that fill a need and solve a problem. Matty Benedetto does the opposite. Watch a video showing his delightfully useless creations.

10 Companies That Completely Reinvented Themselves

Did you know that a major cell phone manufacturer used to make rubber boots? Or that a well-known gasoline company used to sell seashells? Check out this slideshow to see how some companies have transformed themselves.

Are We Genetically Inclined To Be Materialistic?

Culture can help people to learn to share freely. Listen to this report comparing people in modern economies like those of the United States to hunter-gatherers.

How Teenagers Spend Money

Where does your money typically go? Compare your spending habits with the national breakdowns featured in this report.

The Rise of the Zombie Mall

With the rise of online shopping, the number of people taking trips to physical shopping malls has declined. Shopping malls may not be dead yet, but their future is uncertain.

Consumers want a climate label for food, research shows

A growing number of consumers are conscious of their toll on the environment. A helpful tool in reducing carbon footprints could be “climate labeling.” Read about this interesting proposal.

Here’s How Streaming Music is Killing the Planet

With the rise of music streaming, the music industry now produces less plastic waste than before. However, streaming music has its unintended consequences.

The Psychology Of Vanity Sizing

With more and more Americans worried about their weight, clothing makers are making shifts in sizing to make customers feel better about themselves. Read this article to learn more about “vanity sizing.”

Brain Scans of Hoarders Reveal Why They Never De-Clutter

Would you have trouble parting with your favorite things? A hoarder is a person who collects items and can’t discard any of them. Often, the homes of hoarders are completely full, with only enough room left to walk from room to room. A new study using brain scans helps shed light on why people behave this way.

When Not Reading The Fine Print Can Cost Your Soul

Do you want to win $10,000? Do you want to keep your immortal soul? This article details how companies sneak clauses into their terms and conditions knowing people do not read the fine print of their documents.