Inquiry Question: How does overconsumption affect our lives, and are we enticed by companies advertising, to buy more?
Research Step 1: Does the root of overconsumption stem from our society, or is it a result from companies advertising tactics?
The concept of overconsumption is a vast complex topic. There are so many different products available to the public, just by a simple click of a finger. While these products may seem appealing and desirable, as a society, we are illusioned by companies advertising that whatever they are selling is a necessity to us. (1) When you think about the majority of advertisements you view, whether that be online or on television, there is a common pattern that most corporations use. Almost all companies advertise what their selling by using emotional triggers. (1) What this means is that corporations find that relating their product to positive, joyful emotions will in return make them the most profit.
An additional tactic companies use to advertise their products is by promoting retail therapy. (2) Many people resort to retail therapy when they are facing emotional distress. (2) Some people find themselves indulging in retail when they are looking to improve their emotional state or well-being. Although these actions may seem helpful, it only provides temporary relief. (2) Additionally, many buy more products than they actually need, which increases the rate of overconsumption. (2) One prominent force that promotes retail therapy is social media. Countless companies now partner up with celebrities/influencers and ask popular figures to advertise their product. (2) This method of advertising is super effective since millions of people are able to view what has been posted on various social media platforms. (2) Trends are also commonly created on social media, resulting in aspirations to keep up with what is “in.” (2) According to a 2021 study conducted by GlobalWebIndex, more than 54% of customers use social media to search for products. (2) This makes impulse buying more likely because of constant advertising. (2)
Maximal profit is the ultimate goal for all corporations. (3) It is habitual for companies to mass-produce the items they sell as it does not cost much, and provides them with the most profit in return. (3) The process of mass-producing products is often unsustainable which can lead to further issues. (3) However, most people forget about how the items they purchase are made, and only see what is in front of them. (3) Topics like this will be further discussed in future blog posts. It is so easy to forget about the negative implications when it comes to consumption of products as possessing these items is encouraged in the world we live in today. (4) This subject matter can almost be considered as a “status role” as many people view others on what they own and have instead of who they are. (4) Unfortunately, substantial corporations play a large role in this dilemma, and fundamentally are the driving force for the root of overconsumption. (4) Although companies are the leading factor for overconsumption, we are the target audience responsible for the implications faced with overconsumption. (4)
What are the implications to overconsumption?
Overconsumption has numerous implications. Just a few are listed below.
- The fashion industry contributes to 10% of worldwide carbon emissions, mainly due to overproduction and fast fashion. (5)
- An average family in the United States purchases around 60 new clothing items each year. (5)
- A typical person generates approximately 4.4 pounds of garbage everyday, and most of it is caused by overconsumption. (5)
- Worldwide, nearly 30% of food supplied is wasted, which equals to approximately 1.3 billion tons per year. (5)
I hope you picked up a few key points in this Blog Post! Looking forward to my next Blog Post to dissect this subject matter even more!
–Vanessa Vukovic
Resources:
(1) Directory, S. (2025, April 16). Why does advertising drive overconsumption in society? → Question. Climate → Sustainability Directory. https://climate.sustainability-directory.com/question/why-does-advertising-drive-overconsumption-in-society/
(2) Andriuška, G. (2024b, September 2). The Psychology Behind Overconsumption: Why we buy more. overconsumption.org. https://overconsumption.org/blogs/news/the-psychology-behind-overconsumption-why-we-buy-more
(3) Vaitheeswaran, H. (2024, December 27). The Hidden Costs of Overconsumption: How Consumerism is Affecting Global Resources. Medium. Retrieved November 17, 2025, from https://junioreconomist.org/the-hidden-costs-of-overconsumption-how-consumerism-is-affecting-global-resources-d498b4be9561
(4) Team, I. (2025, June 6). How does overconsumption affect the environment? The Institute for Environmental Research and Education. https://iere.org/how-does-overconsumption-affect-the-environment/
(5) Overconsumption Statistics Statistics: Market Data Report 2025. (n.d.). https://worldmetrics.org/overconsumption-statistics/
Hi Vanessa! I found your blog post very intriguing and well written. Excited to read your next one! A topic to research for your next blog post could be social media’s contribution to over consumption. A resource that speak on this is ‘https://overconsumption.org/blogs/news/the-role-of-social-media-in-promoting-overconsumption’ which gives a good overview about what social media and over consumption are and how they relate to each other. Another good resource for this topic would be ‘https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9096894/’ this article goes more in depth into the topic and the specific stats. In summary, your topic and research are really interesting, good luck with your next post!
Hi there! I really enjoyed reading your blog post, and I think that it is very educational and easy to follow. You did a great job of explaining the different advertising tactics, like emotional triggers and retail therapy. Additionally, the use of statistics (like the 54% of people using social media to search for products) really helped with your arguments and made your points quite convincing. One suggestion for your next inquiry post is to perhaps research why society values ownership. For example, you could study ideas such as social status, identity, or the pressure to keep up. You could also use real-life examples, like specific influencer trends, to further support your points. Here is a link that may help you in your future blog posts: https://nesslabs.com/prestige-psychology Overall, however, your post is great, and I am looking forward to your next blog posts!
Best,
Isabella
Hi Vanessa! I really enjoyed reading your post and I’d love to read more about this topic. An idea to make your post even better is giving examples of companies that uses emotional triggers as advertising tactics, this can help the readers have a deeper understanding of this topic. A source that can help is:
https://appliedpsychologydegree.usc.edu/blog/thinking-vs-feeling-the-psychology-of-advertising#:~:text=Many%20brands%20incorporate%20emotion%20into,BMW:
Overall your post is incredible! I’m very excited to learn more about this topic!