ARTWORK: Natasha Tareen
“the customer is king:” is capitalism a savior or saboteur of ethical consumption? DION JONES
Consumption in the capitalist system has always been influenced by external factors - or at least factors which transcend desire and ‘need.’ In principle, external factors can apply to anything; let’s take bread, orange juice and cars as examples. There are so many options staring at you on the shelf or in the dealership. Each product is slightly different from the next, but the one thing they have in common is being the core product you need. Price is an obvious discriminator; the relentless desire for companies to promote affordability is inescapable. Yet, there is also a range of other factors to be considered. Do you want white bread or multigrain? Pulp free or no added sugar? An electric, hybrid, petrol or diesel motor?
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