Does consumption determine social class? On the changing pattern of consumption determination

When the connection between social class (and other socio‐economic variables) and personal consumption expenditure is analysed, three basic approaches may be identified: (i) social class has an impact upon personal consumption expenditure; (ii) personal consumption is determined more by the person's way of life or consumption style, i.e. by a known consumption ‘enclave’ (iii) both socio‐economic and consumption style variables do not have an impact on personal consumption, or rather, consumption is based on utilitarian considerations and individual matters of taste. This study seeks to show that whichever point of view is correct in any given situation depends upon the consumption item in question. The dependent variable chosen was ‘eating out’ in restaurants. This activity was found to involve different types of selection process. The results of the study, based upon the 1985 Finnish Household Survey of economically active households indicate. as expected, that the degree of relationship between given variables and consumption items depends upon the consumption item in question.