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The disenchantment and discontent expressed towards the consumerist society by socially responsible consumers organized in online communities cannot be reduced to a circumstantial phenomenon, but falls within a radical questioning of the traditional consumer model (Sansaloni 2006). This kind of resistance through engagement with and for a socially responsible consumption is thereby characterized by the structural and collective dimension of the phenomenon and by its appearance in different forms (ideological, institutional and operational) of consumption. In fact, numerous experts agree that in terms of a “citizen”, “socially responsible” or “sustainable development” position, it is not a question of a temporary enthusiasm, but rather of a lasting change in the collective consciousness and the practices of individuals. The serious trends that are taking shape and establish responsible and sustainable consumption as viable and fast-growing methods are evidence of this appetite for the values of reasonable consumption, environmental protection, solidarity and social justice. The account in Box 1.2 echoes this and shows the main ideas of an expert in socially responsible consumer engagement.

However, in order to be consistent and effective, this critical view of consumption should be accompanied by a reconsideration of the analytical frameworks used, as they currently rely on the same logics and measures as the market. Indeed, following the position defended by Koskenniemi (2019), we think that, in its current configuration, the opposition between “normal” or usual consumption and socially aware consumption is overrated and tends to reify the duality of these two concepts by establishing it as self-evident. However, the normalization of this duality goes against the critical approach that must be used in a relativist view, as what is currently considered oppositional or deviant (here) will not or will no longer necessarily be tomorrow (elsewhere). The typical illustration of this is in the consumption of organic products, long presented as a practice in opposition to the consumption of conventional products, but now considered entirely normal since it has been taken up by the market. This change from marginalization (opposition) to normality is typical of a swing movement that affects the norm and therefore deviance (Amine and Gicquel 2011). As a result, there is neither normality nor deviance nor resistance in absolute terms; everything is a question of context and the prevailing interpretative framework in a social group in a given space and at a given time.

Box 1.2. Interview with Thomas Radal, European representative of Ulula and a freelance consultant on responsible sourcing

The citizen-consumers involved in sustainable consumption have a key role in changing business practices. Beyond the mere act of buying, it is their role as “influencers”, particularly suited to social networks, that will have a greater impact on these practices. This role can largely be broken down as follows:

 – provide information to independent experts on the problems and solutions, and share all of the elements collected. There are many falsehoods about responsible consumption that put companies in delicate situations. Some solutions that seem good, proposed by influencers on social networks, are sometimes bad at the scientific and environmental levels. For example, in textiles, plant dyes and natural materials are in particular demand, while numerous studies have concluded that these dyes are more polluting than synthetic ones, as they require many phytosanitary products. The engaged consumer should make an effort to get their information from a range of independent sources;

 – become spokespeople for good solutions, including among consumers with different opinions. Engagement is also making the effort to compare one’s ideas with those of consumers with different opinions on different platforms. A true responsible product, from the moment it is useful, is the widespread “core product”, made in a sustainable manner. It is not the current optimum sustainable offering alone that will reduce our impact on the planet. In order not to encourage companies to develop separate “sustainable” offerings, but to transform their “core” offerings into sustainable offerings, the engaged consumer aims to convince the unengaged consumer, as it is together that they will change these practices;

 – sign petitions to support draft legislation based on good sense. In ultracompetitive markets, such as the food and textile markets, a brand that works alone has little chance of making the market change quickly and would be attempting economic suicide if it decided to withdraw its products or make them more sustainable. Brands are prisoners of a system and have a competitiveness that puts a stop to green ambitions. The suppression of single-use plastics works because it is a law that imposes the same rules on everyone. The engaged citizen-consumer can also make their voice heard by signing petitions launched by civil society to support draft legislation and bring about change in the market as a whole.

As a result, by introducing meaning to consumption to respond to greater social values, the socially responsible engagement of consumers and online communities seems to play a disruptive role while invigorating the market-oriented system. This phenomenon is as susceptible to having a “regulatory” impact on the market system by disciplining its by-products, as it is to triggering a reconsideration of the unsustainable behaviors of individuals and organizations. It is also a catalyst of responsible innovations in both marketing strategies and the redesign of analytical frameworks and tools to support its development, structuring and regulation.

On the other hand, there are still a number of difficulties that hinder the generalization of sustainable consumption practices, owing to their cost (the price of green products), their limited accessibility (transfer from the producer) and a lack of related information (the benefits of these products, tips for getting them for a lower price and less effort). These restrictions constitute avenues for improvement and fields of research with a view to making these alternative modes of consumption accessible to a greater number of people. With this in mind, the role of both the market sector (producers and retailers) and, especially, the non-market sector (public authorities and related fields) is crucial in imagining and implementing creative solutions to normalize these consumption practices.

In fact, the slowness of the generalization of these responsible consumption practices and the accessibility of these offerings risk keeping this movement as a fringe one, and even creating an attitude renouncing behavioral changes and opposition to the market-oriented ideology. The main reasons for this are linked to the clear imbalance of power (consumers versus the market system) that feeds doubts as to the effectiveness of socially responsible protest actions. Indeed, including the members of the community groups, less involved people remain dubious of the outcomes of their demands in terms of effective impact on the environment and on society, leading to periodic defections within the ranks.