Social Sustainability
Political Consumerism
Definition
Political consumerism is the practice of choosing or avoiding products, brands or companies based on their social, environmental or political conduct, rather than price and quality alone. It takes negative form (boycotts) and positive form (buycotts — deliberately buying from companies seen as responsible), and is studied as a mode of political participation, particularly among younger citizens.
References
Supports definition and framing.
Supports definition and framing.
Overview
How it is used
The concept is used in political science and consumer research, campaign strategy (boycott calls, ethical rankings) and analysis of certification uptake and brand activism.
Why it matters
It explains how sustainability values translate into market pressure between elections, and why transparency about corporate conduct has political significance beyond compliance.