The Mature (‘Mündige’) Consumer: A Misunderstood Ideal?

The guiding principle of the mature (‘mündige’) consumer attracts criticism. Consuming maturely remains a goal that is not in question. But other questions arise: What does maturity (‘Mündigkeit’) mean in the context of consumption, what conditions must be met for this, what function can and should a guiding principle fulfill at all? The article critically engages with the scientific discussion about consumer guiding principles. It is discussed how sharply the proposed alternative guiding principles are differentiated from the mature consumer, and what soft flanks they have. At the same time, it is discussed what function the consumer guiding principles can have, whether the concept of the guiding principle is useful, and what misunderstandings there may be in the debate about it. The guiding principle of the mature consumer—so the conclusion—is more of an ethical orientation than an explanatory model. The recently proposed alternatives, on the other hand, serve as a kind of behavioral typology.