Module 9 Consumer education - APCEIU

Wants
Wants are the goods and services that people consume to satisfy their
perceptions of what they 'need' to be:
accepted by others, such as designer fashions, cosmetics, big or
sporty cars, the latest music, etc.;
relaxed and comfortable, such as new furniture, bigger house,
overseas holiday, etc.; and
free of boredom, such as restaurant and cinema outings, MTV,
computer games, etc.
The perception of 'wants' varies between people in different cultures
and socio-economic systems.
There is not necessarily anything wrong in having 'wants' and
satisfying them. However, 'wants' become a problem when we begin to
confuse them with 'needs'. This generally happens as a result of
advertising and other market pressures.
Very often, our 'wants' - and even many of the things considered
'needs' in affluent societies - are the result of ideas of the 'good
life' created by the media and advertising industries.