Political consumerism: Why the market is an arena for politics

We are witnessing the blooming of the phenomenon of political consumerism. Citizens are bringing politics to the market and confronting corporate actors in ways and levels unimaginable in the past. They even challenge governments to add political, ethical, and environmental demands to their procurement policies. Citizens and activist groups spice up their discourse with spectacular vocabulary. Less-than-standard working conditions are described as sweatshops; farm laborers providing us with food are called chocolate and fruit slaves, and the term slave labor asks consumers to think twice about their purchasing preferences and choices. Properly defined political consumerism is use of the market for political purposes, to raise political issues, create responsibility-taking, control uncertainty, and solve common problems. Political consumers are people who use their buying power to attempt to change objectionable institutional or market practices regarding issues of sustainability, justice, fairness, and noneconomic issues that concern citizen well-being (Micheletti et al. 2003). Their shopping choices reflect an understanding of material goods as embedded in the complex social and normative context of "the politics behind products." This paper discusses how political consumers use consumer choice to promote human rights and sustainable development, why consumer choice has evolved into political engagement, and what prompts citizens to find new arenas for setting their political values and beliefs in motion.