“Throwaway” consumption in a consumerist society: Evidence from a developing country

Abstract

Consumerism, closely linked with growth‐oriented development, has been identified as detrimental to environmental sustainability. Yet literature on throwaway consumption, a key form of unsustainable consumption, has rarely examined the influence of consumerist social values on individual behavior. This paper examines how the contemporary “liquid” consumerist social trends that elevate transience over durability manifest in individual throwaway consumption. Utilizing a sample of consumers from a developing country, Sri Lanka, the study explored the throwaway consumption of the mobile telephone. It identifies that consumers replace their phones with new ones at quick intervals because they consider novelty as a source of pleasure and technological change as progress, both of which can be considered as manifestations of “liquid” consumerism. Further, the market stimulates both ideas, providing greater impetus for throwaway consumption.

Understanding consumers’ perspectives of electronic waste in an emerging economy: a case study of New Delhi, India

“…Environmental sustainability is challenged by consumerism which is intimately associated with growth-oriented development activities (Wijetunga 2020). As a large and a fast growing economy, protection of India's ecology and environment is a major concern for the country.…”

“…It was an interesting development considering the fact that both the terms are interconnected since planned obsolescence aids in a throwaway society. However, although a major kind of unsustainable consumption, the existing literature on throwaway consumption has hardly ever assessed the influence of consumerist social principles on individual behavior (Wijetunga 2020). The changeover into a throwaway society is environmentally detrimental (McCollough et al 2018).…”

Factores de diseño en el desuso prematuro de prendas de vestir: un enfoque desde las etapas de vida del producto

“…Como consecuencia, la industria de la moda necesita producir más materiales vírgenes para cubrir la demanda, lo que implica un mayor gasto de recursos y, por ende, pérdidas económicas y generación de desperdicios (Cox et al, 2013;Wijetunga, 2020). Además, se proyecta que la demanda de prendas de vestir continúe aumentando, de forma paralela al incremento de la población mundial y a los cambios en los patrones de consumo (Naciones Unidas, 2019).…”