Global Consumption Geographies

Question 1

What is the definition of consumption?

Answer 1

‘the use of commodities for the satisfaction of needs and desires. It includes not only the purchase and rise of a range of material goods…but the consumption of services…and a variety of social experiences,’ (Bocock 1992)
Increasingly more about desires than needs

Question 2

Interconnectivity of capitalist system

Answer 2

Marx: Production generates commodities and subjects (workers/income) for consumption
Economic globalisation: production need not correspond with the locations of consumption

Question 3

Producing consumption

Answer 3

Consumption often linked not to disposable income, but access to credit
Explains why banks play a crucial role in driving consumption in developed economies
Producers creating a ‘consumer culture’ via ‘consciousness industries’ (mass media, advertising, marketing etc.) creating “false needs” (Marcuse 1964)

Question 4

Cultural imperialism and global consumption

Answer 4

Worldwide spread of brands and products - consumerist homogenisation
Dumping of products and values of US-led 1st World

Question 5

Indigenisation of McDonalds

Answer 5

> 31,000 restaurants worldwide. 47 million daily customers
19 countries. >1/3 of restaurants in US
New opening every 3 hours. Uniformity of provision
China: middle class consumption spaces, social prestige, exotic Americana
Japan: youth hang-out; leisure space not simply fast food outlet
Hong Kong:1970s+, now localised as mundane element of HK urban landscape
Russia: “Nash Makdonalds”, from Americana exotica to authentic Russian
product and imagined Russianness