Consuming love in poor families: Children's influence on consumption decisions

This paper explores consumption practices in poor families focusing on children's influence on consumption decisions. Based on in-depth interviews with 30 such families, the study demonstrates that children exert considerable direct and indirect influence on family consumption decisions and practices. Consumption in poor families often revolves around children and parents make considerable sacrifices to ensure their children are not stigmatised by the visibility of poverty. Indeed, some parents place their own needs and desires on hold until their children are older. The findings are discussed with reference to love influence in family consumer research