“Consumer society gives people choice.” Discuss this claim.
UK society in the past has been described as an industrial society with social classes being defined around a person’s employment status. Consequently, only those who were very wealthy and had surplus income were considered consumers. However, with developments in technologies, an increased amount of workers in “white collar” jobs and shifts in living costs, the term “consumer society” is one which suggests our contemporary life styles are represented by the purchasing of products and services and how society interprets the choices made available.
This essay will look at discussing the extent to which a consumer society gives people choices, examining social, economic, and
Supermarkets can seduce custom through product offerings and monetary savings, appealing to many who may feel repressed with their consumer choices due to lack of finances.
The growing presence of supermarkets within town centres has resulted in 94% of the population having access to at least 3 different brands of supermarkets within 15 minutes of where they live, (‘Evidence in social sciences’, 2009, track 1) bringing financial savings and product choice to those who may have before been restricted by geographic’s and lack of transport.
On first glance, the offerings of a supermarket may seem positive and convenient but to some the dominance of large supermarkets can have a negative impact on society and possibly not offer the vast choices to consumers as the retailers may like them to believe. Helen Rimmer of Friends Of The Earth argues that a growing dominance of supermarkets on the high street has resulted in a decline of the number of independent retailers by 30-40%, therefore reducing and restricting consumer choices. (‘Evidence in social sciences’, 2009, track 1) Rimmer also suggests that product choice is narrowed by supermarkets, stating that “during the height of the British apple season, there were hardly any native British apples on sale in the supermarkets, whereas in the smaller local shops there was a much greater chance that you