YOUTH 2020 - The position of young people in Slovenia

Consumer behaviour and consumer activities  307 “When it comes to consumption, my boyfriend and I try to focus on local products, even if they are hard to find. They are better, less processed, and healthier. Our health comes first and foremost.” (Maša, 26 years old, precariously employed) “I make sure I don’t spend more than I earn. I try to stay within my realistic limits. I would not take any loans right now, unless I were to buy a flat. I try to support Slovenian products, made also by my close friends or broader acquaintances. I know a lot of people who have startups or work for certain companies and I prefer to buy their products.” (Nejc, 27 years old, young politician) 9.2 CONSUMERISM AND YOUNG PEOPLE In line with the phase they are in, young people are relatively more likely to questionwho they are, what they will do, what they want, what others think of them, etc. The youth phase is therefore characterised by search- ing and uncertainty, and young people are looking for forms of confirma- tion, definition, and identity. One such form of searching and validationmay be through consumption (of goods and services). The advertising industry understands this well, as demonstrated by the amount of money spent on advertising products and services for young people. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), the volume of such funding increased by 250% be- tween 1992 and 2002 alone (Kersting, 2004). The aim is clear – to portray consumption as something intrinsically linked to freedom, happiness, self-fulfilment, autonomy, individuality, and uniqueness. It is a me- ta-message, which says that all of life’s problems can be solved by buying the right products, and young people are particularly vulnerable to this message (Kanner, 2003; Linn, 2004).