Consumer Law for a Post-Consumer Society

Abstract

The notion of ‘post-consumerism’ has been gaining popularity in the social sciences for quite some time now. It portrays a world in which traditional consumption – namely, the acquisition of things and services – loses its importance under pressure from consumers who want to consume 'less' or consume ‘differently’. The consumer market has been witnessing a growing strive for ethical consumption, which aims to protect the environment, fundamental rights and other political values. Furthermore consumers are increasingly interested in gaining satisfaction by striving for experiences that can enrich their lives or provide positive emotions (fostering social relations, creating and sharing one's own creations or speaking out in public discourse. The text investigates the consequences of this evolution for the EU consumer policy and the architecture of consumer law. Especially, it takes a critical account of the newly enacted Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, which try to address the new types of individual-business interaction, but which at the same time mostly refrain from addressing the consumer issue straightforwardly.

Keywords: consumer, consumption, consumer law, social media, sustainability, freedom of speech

JEL Classification: K10, K12