Hoarding: Understanding Divergent Acquisition, Consumption, and Disposal

An accepted view of consumption assumes that consumers progress along three orderly stages—from acquisition to consumption, culminating with disposal of a given consumption product. When this process of consumption is disrupted, the consequences can be destabilizing, disturbing, and potentially risky to both individual consumers and the wider society. This article focuses on the divergent consumption behavior of hoarders and the impact and resulting disruptions to the processes and phases of the consumption cycle. We use a multiperspective approach in our quest to understand consumer hoarding-type behaviors. We demonstrate that hoarding behavior is not simply a matter of excessive purchasing, overconsumption, or inadequate disposal, but that there are factors affecting all three dimensions, resulting in manifestations of risky behavior. Examining the underlying motivations of consumers who hoard provides a context to explore the interplay of risks in consumption deviations, with implications for our understanding of risk and value.