Consumer Resistance in the Pet Marketplace

This study draws on Cherrier’s (2008) concept of consumer-resistant identities together with the work of Beverland, Farelly and Lim (2008) on the dark side of pet ownership to shed light on consumer resistance in the context of the pet marketplace. The adopted research methodology utilises a photoelicitation technique known as autodriving, thus, helping to reveal in greater depth, the layers of heterogeneous meanings surrounding such resistance practices. The UK pet marketplace has become increasingly engaged with the marketing of luxury brands and designer breeds. However, our thirteen participants identified as pet owners were resistant to such luxury consumption practices, preferring to distance themselves from particular products and brands (including designer breeds) in the marketplace. The paper concludes with ideas for future research.