Revisiting Consumer Empowerment

This article explores the notion of consumer empowerment in ethical consumption communities, known as responsible consumption communities (RCCs) in Spain. Although consumer empowerment has previously been discussed in the ethical consumer field, mainly in relation to notions of voting in the marketplace, it has yet to be explored thoroughly. In particular, the concept of empowerment should be moved beyond an individualized lens of analysis, acknowledging connectedness of persons. A combination of qualitative techniques was employed, including focus groups, in-depth interviews, observation, and documentary analysis. Our empirical case shows that consumer empowerment should be understood not in relation to consumption, but in relation to new forms of social organizing and experimentation that emerge around consumption.