How low-income consumers negotiate intended egalitarian practices in the marketplace

Abstract

Prior research establishes that low-income consumers may feel discomfort with market-initiated approaches to inclusion. However, less is known about how low-income consumers may negotiate such initiatives, and how the initiatives are subsequently adjusted. This study addresses this gap by examining how low-income consumers negotiate intended egalitarian practices in the marketplace. We conducted 17 months of ethnographic fieldwork at a French NGO-based network supporting low-income consumers’ access to mainstream markets. Findings show that low-income consumers combine market and non-market logics while navigating inclusion opportunities. They use three tactics to negotiate intended egalitarian practices in the marketplace: accumulating for safety, building coalitions, and pursuing recognition. In response, other market actors adjust their approach to inclusion, threatening these initiatives’ egalitarian intentions. These findings advance theories of market inclusion, pointing to the power dynamics and conflicting logics that challenge the implementation of intended egalitarian practices in marketplaces.