Are lifecourse transitions opportunities for moving to more sustainable consumption?
Abstract
The idea that lifecourse transitions might offer ‘moments of change’ in which to encourage more sustainable consumption is popular. However, insights from the sociological literature on lifecourse transitions have rarely been brought to bear on this assumption, and little research explores how everyday consumption may change through such transitions. This article focuses on two distinct lifecourse transitions – becoming a mother and retirement – and through qualitative longitudinal research evaluates the assumption that such periods provide opportunities for movement to more sustainable consumption. Three interviews were conducted with 40 new mothers and 40 retirees in the United Kingdom, exploring change and continuity in aspects of everyday consumption. While our findings confirm that these are times of significant change with potential impacts on the sustainability of everyday consumption, we conclude that to characterise such transitions as ‘moments of change’ fails to adequately capture their lived experience.
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- Authors
- Burningham, K., & Venn, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Surrey (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Burningham, Kate
- Venue
- Journal of Consumer Culture
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2017-09-05
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 102-121
- ISSN
- 1469-5405 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-2900
- OpenAlex
- W2750831914
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5
- FWCI
- 7.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Consumer Culture (publishedVersion)
- Surrey Research Insight Open Access (The University of Surrey) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Economic and Social Research Council (ES/M010163/1)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Environmental Education and Sustainability
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Environmental Sustainability in Business
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Consumer behavior in food and health
- Keywords
- sustainable consumption, transition to motherhood, retirement, everyday consumption, postpartum women, retirees, lived experience
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