Marketing sustainability undermines degrowth: Study highlights need for systemic advertising reform
Original framing: “Citizens as political actors, not individual consumers: New study calls for tighter advertising regulations” — Phys.org
The tension between consumerism and sustainability has deep roots in the rise of industrial capitalism. Historical parallels include the 19th-century advertising revolution, which normalized mass consumption and shaped modern identity through consumption.
This study reveals how the commercialization of sustainability through advertising perpetuates consumerist norms, undermining degrowth goals.
Indigenous knowledge, historical patterns, and cross-cultural perspectives all point to the need for systemic reform beyond individual behavior change. Regulatory capture by corporate interests obscures the structural roots of overconsumption, while marginalized voices and alternative economic models offer pathways to genuine sustainability. Integrating these insights into policy and public discourse is essential for transforming the current system.