Issues Today Volume 10: Consumerism

Editor: Claire Owen
Publisher: Independence Educational Publishers
Price: As part of subscription only, £79.95 for one year
Cover: Paperback
Pages: 32
ISBN: 978 1 86168 432 5
Published: February 2008

As spending in Britain hits a record high, our personal debt is also increasing by £1 million every five minutes. What effects does advertising have on our consumer society? How can we protect our rights as consumers? Should we be buying ethical goods and services? This book looks at consumer trends and the rights, risks and ethics surrounding consumerism.

The information comes from a variety of sources, including government reports and statistics, newspapers and magazine articles, surveys and polls, academic research and literature from charities and lobby groups; articles have been tailored to an 11 to 14 age group. Additionally, at the end of each chapter is a page of activities relating to the articles and issues raised in that chapter.

Table of Contents

Chapter One: Consumer Trends

Consumers, Consumer durables, Affluenza, Consumer spending, Advertising, Advertising and children, The case of the falling flake, Companies are 'out of touch' say consumers, Men are shopaholics too, Activities.

Chapter Two: Rights, Risks and Ethics

Your rights: what to watch out for, Using credit wisely, Debt facts and figures, Rise in problem debt, Ethical food, Ethical consumerism, Scambuster, Activities.

Key Facts

Glossary

Acknowledgements

Key Facts

• Being a good consumer means knowing what to look out for and what to avoid. It means knowing where and how to get the best value for money and where to go if things go wrong. (page 1)


• Spending has hit a record high as British consumers parted with as much as £1 trillion (a million million) in 2005 alone. On average this works out at around £37,000 for every household across Britain today. (page 4)


• Advertising today is a major industry. Each year between 1 and 2% of all income in the UK is spent on advertising. Without advertising, there would be no radio or television, very few magazines and newspapers, and no 'free' newspapers. (page 6)


• Britain's personal debt is increasing by £1 million every five minutes. (page 18)


• Two in five consumers (40%) now 'buy free-range products whenever they can' (up from 33% in 2002). (page 21)


• UK consumers are not prepared for the possible scams that exist online. (page 23)