Learning how to be a socially responsible consumer

The œ financial and economic crisis which began in 2008 no doubt marks the end of the hyper-consumption seen over the previous twenty years, but consumption remains a central concern in developed societies ; for most people, it also remains a signiœficant source of emotion and pleasure ; it is, therefore, important to give children all the necessary keys to take account of new environmental constraints (global warming, depletion of fossil fuels, etc.) without forgetting to teach them how to handle the ever-increasing power of the symbolism of brands and products, which gives them the social status of positional goods, and without neglecting the basics which enable them to keep control of a transaction (knowledge of prices, appreciation of quality, management of quantities, etc.).