consumerism

In the middle of a pandemic, the market has transformed essential goods into status symbols.

Based on an empirical study, this article addresses critical concerns surrounding shopping decisions of the middle class in Delhi and the National Capital Region. Using exploratory factor analysis, four factors that influence shopping decisions are extracted, namely peer pressure, money matters, shopping site, and brand value. These factors are examined at both aggregated and disaggregated levels according to income, age, and sex. The article reflects on how shopping decisions, consumption profiles, and aspirations are negotiated in reshaping social life. It projects that far from being materialistic, hedonistic, and self-centred, the middle-class shopper is cautious, price-sensitive, and seeks value for money.

Analysis of shifting cultivation in Tripura in the 19th century indicates that the 'full belly' type of models - where the objective is considered to be a fixed target level of consumption - approximated realistically with the cultivators' production motivation. However, in the present day, due to the demands of the consumerist culture and dwindling land available for shifting cultivation, swidden agriculture, even if engaged in full time, is not able to produce more than the minimum acceptable level of output.