ABSTRACT
The relationship between consumption and sustainable development clearly goes beyond the direct effects of consumption on those who consume. It concerns in particular the social and environmental dimensions embedded within the chains of production and trade, which underpin patterns of consumption. The 'disposable consumer economy' can lead to patterns of pollution that damage some people's health in the short term, and constrain longer opportunities for many more. The 'political consumer'—and her cousins the ethical investor, the reluctant employee and the questioning daughter or son—are rarely liberated from an interest in status, but are able to see how it can be achieved through other means. The need for new political approaches in addressing the vision and imperatives of sustainable development is also underlined by 'factor'-based arguments in the arena of consumption analysis, particularly work focused on the environmental dimensions of consumption.
