The ‘Excluded Consumer’: A Neglected Aspect of Social Exclusion?

Social exclusion is usually considered in relation to the world of work. Here, we consider it in relation to consumption. To do this, we introduce the notion of the ‘excluded consumer’. In order to understand who defines themselves as excluded from normal consumption practices and how, the results of interviews with 400 households in lower-income UK urban neighbourhoods are reported. This reveals that households view themselves as excluded from mainstream consumption practices not only when they cannot afford to acquire goods but also when they are reliant on alternative retail channels (e.g., car boot sales, second-hand shops) to obtain them. We thus conclude by arguing that policy initiatives are required to aid the excluded consumer.

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