Young Consumer Vulnerability

This chapter examined young consumer vulnerability by focusing on young consumers aged 11-17 to identify relevant issues associated with young consumer vulnerability from a marketing perspective. Young consumers are considered vulnerable when compared with adult consumers. Young consumers are commonly targeted by companies in the marketplace, from sectors such as beauty, luxury goods, alcohol, snack foods, e-sports, online gambling, or impulse purchases of other product categories. The authors discussed the potential issues of current marketing practices in targeting young consumers and the efforts that have been made so far by companies to address the issue of young consumer vulnerability by including five case company examples of young consumer inclusion. In addition, they discussed the ethical and marketing implications for brands in targeting young consumers, aiming for more equity and inclusion.