"Obviously in the cool group they wear designer things" : A social practice theory perspective on children’s consumption

Purpose This paper proposes the lens of Social Practice Theory (SPT) as a means of deepening insight into childhood consumer culture. Design/methodology/approach The data comprises four qualitative interviews and ten focus groups with 58 8-13 year olds in 6 diverse schools across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Transcripts were coded with NVIVO10. Analysis was guided by the three elements of Social Practice Theory: Materials, Meaning and Competence. Findings Branded technology products and clothes consistently combined with both the socially sanctioned objective of achieving and maintaining a place in the peer hierarchy and also the three skills we have labelled ‘social consumption recognition', ‘social consumption performance' and social consumption communication' in regular, predictable ways to produce an ordered and thus reproduce-able nexus of actions. Analysis of the inter-relationship between these elements showed that children's consumption is a specific practice; embedded in their everyday routines. Consumption is also linked inextricably to social position; children's variable performance of it links with their degree of social acceptance and popularity. Research limitations/implications Although the study included a broad cross-section of school catchment areas they cannot be said to represent all British children. Nonetheless SPT provides an alternative theoretical perspective on children's consumption by shifting the focus away from the child, the social context or even the products, thus ceasing to privilege the notion that consumption is something external to children that they learn to be socialised into; or to consciously use for their own symbolic or other purposes; or that they have to be protected from. Originality/value This SPT analysis of children's consumption makes three contributions. Firstly it provides a much needed new theoretical perspective beyond the dominant but limited ‘consumer socialisation' research paradigm that confines analysis of children's consumption to the functioning of their individual cognitive capacity. Secondly it suggests new research methodologies for understanding the interaction between children and the commercial world. Thirdly it offers a different approach to policy makers tasked with the controversial issue of regulating marketing to children.