Ethical consumption: Theoretical concepts and a contribution to the debate

Abstract

The paper focuses on ethical consumption, which is one of the most debatable types of the “non-standard” consumption. Despite its growth in recent decades, the diverse criticism of the phenomenon has continued: ranging from the statements that this phenomenon cannot be significant or effective to categorical statements regarding its mythical essence or verbal existence. The article shows that this criticism is due to a lack of clarity in the theoretical concepts of the phenomenon. Based on the accumulated scientific knowledge, including the results of both foreign and a series of representative studies in Russia, the article substantiates the basics of ethical consumption and the resulting prospects for its conceptualization. It is concluded that a complex, interdisciplinary, and multilevel understanding of the nature and the specifics of the phenomenon formation allows eliminating most of the criticism and validating effective partnership models between key actors as well as minimizing the risks of applying the growing consumption demand by the destructive forces.