The myth of consumer sovereignty: an exploratory study

Abstract

This paper discusses the myth of consumer sovereignty (CS). In doing so, the paper examines how marketers impose further constraints on the already bounded rationality of consumers. The purpose of this paper is multifold: (1) to examine the full CS myth and its implications for the consumer and for society, (2) to present evidence from the behavioural sciences that the full CS myth is untenable, (3) to propose a modified CS meaning system that is more consistent with our knowledge about universal human nature and that complements the analysis of universal human nature provided in Plato's Republic, (4) we offer descriptive insights on how marketers employ means to diminish consumer sovereignty to impel individuals to consume sometimes unwanted products and services, and finally (5) the study offers prescriptive insights to policy makers to rebalance mass media content so that reason is encouraged in marketing communication.