Introducing the key ideas and major theorists of consumption in a lively and engaging manner, this book draws on theories of everyday life and aspects of sociology, cultural geography and cultural studies, and presents a comprehensive exploration of the central themes in consumption and consumer culture. Readily accessible case studies describe familiar forms of consumption from areas of everyday life, grounding the debates and ideas discussed. Topics covered include: the semiotics of branding and advertising; the representation of 'nature' and the environment; the relations between consumer and producer; ethical consumption; and the tensions between local spaces of consumption and globalized markets. While each of the chapters crystallize the debate in a specific subject area, they also lie within a larger argument concerning the ethics, the poetics and the politics of consumption in everyday life, making this essential reading for undergraduates on cultural studies, sociology and cultural geography courses.