Understanding the Brazilian Consumerism Movement from a Decolonial Perspective: The Case of Proteste

Abstract

From a decolonial perspective, the present study analyzes how and why Eurocentric consumerism was adopted by Proteste, a Brazilian consumerist organization that is associated with Euroconsumers, a European consumer defense organization. Marketing literature scarcely discusses decolonial issues related to consumerism, resulting in a limited understanding of how Eurocentric consumerist organizations influence consumerism in the Global South, and in Brazil. Based on interviews with current and former Proteste employees and on secondary data, the analysis shows how Proteste deals with the hierarchy created inside Euroconsumers, positioning it at the lower part of this structure, as well as how it adopts Eurocentric universalist consumerist knowledge, which does not necessarily contribute to solving Proteste’s consumer problems. By ignoring such decolonial issues, marketing perpetuates a partial view of consumerism, which accentuates the asymmetry of power between the Eurocentric world and the rest of the world, rather than foster relations between companies and consumers.