Lived religiosity and consumption: Dilemma and meaning-making among practising Catholic consumers

Abstract

Religiosity shapes the individual’s value and belief system and consequently their consumption behaviour. This article aims to better understand how lived religiosity interacts with consumption. Based on introspections with 20 practising Catholics, our results reveal the dynamics and manifestations of the dilemma in consumption and show how individuals deal with consumption. The discussion highlights (1) a moral-spiritual dilemma that results from a tension between Catholic doctrine and consumerist culture; (2) the making of meaning, via agentivity in consumption and discernment vis-à-vis religious precepts. This research enriches the literature on religiosity and consumption by revealing the contexts and situations in which religiosity is more or less mobilised, revisited and negotiated to confer meaning on consumption. The contributions of this research also make it possible to formulate several managerial implications.