A necessary discussion on consumer vulnerability: advances, gaps, and new perspectives

Abstract

Consumer research is not usually concerned with problems caused or aggravated by market activities. However, economic, social, environmental, and public health problems can be attributed to certain market practices, which are harmful to different market agents. This article examines how consumer vulnerability has been discussed in the marketing and consumer literature through a national and international literature review of the last 25 years. It seeks to identify the different perspectives and definitions in researches that discuss the topic and suggests a comprehensive definition of vulnerability in the marketing area, which considers the vulnerability of other agents. We identified vulnerability as an issue gaining importance, despite the predominance of a managerialist perspective, which emphasizes the generation of knowledge that benefits companies. It seems urgent that marketing and consumer studies are interested in knowledge that protects and benefits consumers and society in general. We believe that the study of vulnerability should also encourage the development of adequate public policies and the discussion of regulatory activities, in addition to the consumer. Thus, from the results, we suggest that vulnerability can be defined as a state of individuals’ fragility in the face of market practices, which can manifest in different stages in production, commercialization, and consumption processes.