Definition of Consumer Consumables
People in economically stable countries have come to be called consumers because of their propensity to lead a lifestyle centered around purchasing and using products. Consumer goods consist of a very wide range of products, but not all consumer products are actually consumable. Consumable products, as opposed to durable goods, are things that are used up after their first use or after being used for a short time. Understanding the definition of consumer consumables can give you a deeper understanding of consumer product categories.
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Food and Beverages
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Food and drink are the quintessential consumable products. Not only do they fit the definition of consumable products, but purchasers literally consume these items by ingesting them. Food and beverages saturate consumer-driven economies, and a large number of consumer food favorites contribute to a growing national obesity epidemic in the United States.
Entertainment Events
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Although entertainment events are not literally consumed, these unique mixtures of product and service are used once and never again. Certain entertainment products, such as DVDs and video games, are durable by nature. Others, such as concerts, big-screen movies and plays can only truly be experienced once per purchase. Along with food, entertainment is a major spending category in consumer-driven economies.
Pharmaceuticals
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Pharmaceuticals come in a variety of forms, and consumers use them for a plethora of purposes. Everything from children's headache chews, to antibiotics to experimental cancer drugs make up the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industries of developed nations. Pharmaceuticals are literally ingested, similar to food, then must be replaced, making them fit the definition of consumables perfectly.
Personal Care Products
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Personal care products also make up a sizable portion of discretionary spending in consumer-driven countries. Personal care products run the gamut from things like toothpaste and deodorant to things like makeup and shampoo. Personal care products are generally used over a longer period of time than things like entertainment or pharmaceuticals, but they still have a consumable nature, since every use diminishes the quantity of the product until it is used up.
Consumption Lifestyle
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A culture of consumerism can create a situation where people treat traditionally durable goods as consumable items. Consider fashion, for instance. Certain fashion brands sell clothing that is designed to fall apart quickly, necessitating another purchase, while certain consumers will throw clothing away frequently to replace it with new styles. The concept of leasing an automobile is another example of turning a durable product into a consumer good -- rather than buying something to last, lessors use something temporarily, then give it back.
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