Consumption segregation

Date and country of first publication

2018
China

Definition

Consumption segregation refers to the phenomenon where individuals or groups within a society segregate themselves based on their patterns of consumption. This segregation can manifest in various ways:

1. Spatial Segregation: Certain neighborhoods or areas become associated with specific consumption patterns, such as luxury goods, organic products, or ethnic cuisine. This can lead to physical separation of groups based on their economic status or cultural preferences.

2. Social Segregation: Consumption habits can also segregate people socially. For example, certain social groups may engage in conspicuous consumption of high-status goods, thereby signaling their wealth or social standing. This can create barriers or distinctions between different social classes or groups.

3. Cultural Segregation: Consumption choices can be influenced by cultural factors, such as religious dietary restrictions or preferences for specific types of products. This cultural segregation can reinforce social or ethnic boundaries within a community.

4. Digital Segregation: In the digital age, consumption patterns can also segregate individuals online. Algorithms on social media and e-commerce platforms can tailor content and recommendations based on previous consumption behavior, potentially reinforcing existing preferences and segregating individuals into digital echo chambers.

Overall, consumption segregation highlights how consumption choices can contribute to social stratification and reinforce existing inequalities or distinctions within society.

Related segregation forms

Consumption segregation is frequently discussed in the literature with the following segregation forms:

residential segregation, racial segregation

This visualization is based on the study The Multidisciplinary Landscape of Segregation Research.

For the complete network of interrelated segregation forms, please refer to:

• First year of publication

• Louvain clusters

• Betweenness centrality

• Disciplines in which segregation forms first emerged (Scopus database).

Consumption segregation appears in the following literature

Davis D.R., Dingel J.I., Monras J., Morales E. (2019). How segregated is urban consumption?. Journal of Political Economy, 127(4), 1684-1738. University of Chicago Press.https://doi.org/10.1086/701680