The consumption of well-being: Developing consumption practices of well-being in the context of medicalized water

Abstract

Objectives The main objective of this study belonging to the consumer culture theory (CCT) research is to investigate how consumers develop practices of well-being through the consumption of medicalized water. Another objective is to study how the dominant health and wellness ideology affects this development of health consumption and consumer identity projects.

Methodology This research is qualitative and emergent in nature. Ten Finnish consumers of vitamin-infused water were interviewed and the transcripts of these interviews formed the empirical data of the study. The exploration belonged to the interpretive research approach and methods.

Key findings The key findings in this study are that three elements - biomorality, power of body over mind, and enhancement strategies - contribute to the development of well-being consumption practices in the context of medicalized water. The ideology of wellness plays a crucial role in this development, and biomorality is an integral part of this ideology.