Consumer Movements, Contemporary

Abstract

Unlike the focus of earlier forms of consumer activism, which tended to stress how the purchasing decisions of consumers affected the wages or working conditions of laborers, the contemporary consumer movement positions the interests of consumers as its predominant concern. These consumer interests include objective product information regarding quality, standards, and price. A diverse constituency, independence from business and political parties, a decentralized organizational structure, and single‐issue campaigns are some of the reasons why the consumer movement has survived for almost a century. While product testing may be the foundation of the contemporary consumer movement, currently one can argue that the consumer movement is rediscovering the tactics of earlier forms of consumer activism, particularly boycotts and buycotts, and legitimizing these tactics with scientific research.