Introduction to consumer consciousness

Abstract

This chapter introduces the concept of consumer consciousness as a central feature of consumption today. It argues that consumption should not be seen simply as a financial transaction or an automatic behaviour, but as a lived experience shaped by our senses, thoughts, and emotions. Using the example of drinking coffee in a café, the chapter shows how everyday experiences involve many types of sensory information, such as sight, sound, touch, smell, and internal feelings, that come together to form our understanding of what we consume and how we feel about it. The chapter explains why current research methods, which often rely on memory or self-reports, are not enough to fully capture the nature of consumer experience. It also discusses the limits of marketing strategies that focus only on unconscious reactions, such as nudging, and highlights the need to support more conscious and meaningful choices. As digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality become more common, they increasingly shape how consumers become aware of their environment and make decisions. The chapter calls for greater attention to how these tools influence consumer awareness, values, and well-being. By introducing the idea of the conscioumer: A consumer who actively experiences, reflects, and makes sense of what they consume, this chapter sets the stage for a new way of thinking about marketing and consumption. It argues for designing experiences that support ethical, responsible, and reflective consumer behaviour.