Most of Britain's young consumers consider it uncool to buy from a charity shop, are embarrassed to walk out of well-known shops unless they are clutching a branded bag but often exhibit a quite sophisticated understanding of variations in the quality and value for money of differing 'designer' goods. These are just some of the insights into the minds of Britain's teenage consumers identified in a recent study of consumption and identity.
We conducted our study against the backdrop of recent widespread concern over pressures on young people to consume expensive products that are specifically targeted at a 'youth' market, especially products with 'designer' brand names," explains researcher Dr Christine Griffin. "Our research shows that what young people buy and own clearly plays an important role in their lives, their identities, peer relationships and young people's views of themselves and each other. And, for the majority of young people, a great deal of effort goes into demonstrate (mostly through the clothes and music they buy) that they 'fit in' to a particular style group. However, as in other studies, we find that teenagers tread a tightrope between wanting to 'fit in' with their peers while also wanting to 'stick out' - albeit not too much."
Under half of young people surveyed felt that advertising had an important influence on their consumer purchases. 'Brand names' and 'designer labels' were more important to boys than girls, although no one brand emerged as a 'must have' either in questionnaires or interviews. The reason being that the brands considered high status differ according to the school attended and the style groups to which young people consider they belong.
Findings confirm, however, that negotiations over what children are allowed to buy play a central role in contemporary parenting. Indeed, the enormous interest aroused among children about what they consume lends this topic to greater use in the classroom. "Children's interest in what they buy and why is such that this provides an ideal way of engaging them in subjects ranging from geography (where their goods come from), and business studies to social issues such as differing parenting styles," she concludes.