[News Terms] 'Low-Consumption Core', Overconsumption Goes Away, Low Consumption Comes

Lifestyle Reducing Unnecessary Consumption
Trend Spreading Mainly Among US Generation Z
Impact of Backlash Against SNS Ads and High Inflation

Recently, a new trend called the ‘Underconsumption Core’ has emerged among Generation Z in the United States (born in the late 1990s to early 2010s) and extending to the Millennial generation (born in the early 1980s to mid-1990s). The New York Post in the U.S. introduced the Underconsumption Core last July, evaluating that Generation Z, tired of overconsumption and luxury goods after the COVID-19 pandemic, has now begun to pursue underconsumption.

The term Underconsumption Core combines the English word ‘underconsumption’?meaning low or insufficient consumption?with the suffix ‘core,’ which is used to denote a trend or a style to be pursued.

[Photo by AI Image]

Recently, on social networking services (SNS), content described as ‘OO Core’ can often be found. For example, Cybercore refers to a concept that reinterprets the Y2K or cyber mood popular in the late 1990s. Normcore is a term for plain and unpretentious comfortable fashion. There are also many neologisms formed by adding ‘core’ to the end of specific words, such as Cluttercore, which involves decorating spaces using clutter.

The Underconsumption Core literally means a ‘trend or lifestyle of reducing consumption.’ It is the opposite concept of overconsumption. It is similar to minimalism, which aims to stop unnecessary consumption and keep only the essentials, but slightly different. The Underconsumption Core is a lifestyle that reduces consumption itself, valuing the continued use of old items or refraining from consumption as ‘hip.’

At the center of this movement is the video platform TikTok. Searching for ‘Underconsumption Core’ on TikTok yields thousands of related videos. These videos showcase efforts to reduce consumption in daily life, such as proudly showing bags bought 10 years ago that are still in use, introducing secondhand products, or sharing ways to use up cosmetics completely.

Collection of videos related to 'Low Power Core' [Photo by TikTok]

There are several reasons behind the rise of the Underconsumption Core. First is the backlash against influencers on SNS who promote overconsumption. Some Generation Z individuals believe that influencers encourage excessive consumption. Therefore, they are cautious about being overwhelmed by the daily flood of new product promotions and the resulting wave of consumption on SNS. The Underconsumption Core carries the intention of not being deceived by these influencers or companies that contract influencers and product advertisements into buying unnecessary items, which distinguishes it from simple saving.

According to an online survey conducted last July by the American credit information company Credit Karma, targeting 2,042 U.S. adults aged 18 and over, 88% of Generation Z social media users responded that ‘targeted ads and influencer marketing on social media platforms have lost their influence.’ The biggest reason cited was ‘harmful levels of overconsumption (38%).’ Additionally, most of Generation Z (90%) responded that they had ‘purchased secondhand goods.’ The main reasons given were ‘to resist fast fashion (22%)’ and ‘to be environmentally conscious (28%).’

Economic and social environments, including high inflation, are also cited as causes. Brett House, a professor at Columbia Business School, said, “Every 10 years, when a major recession occurs, similar consumption trends appear.” He explained that after a period of revenge spending following the COVID-19 pandemic, economic anxiety has increased due to rapid price hikes and mass layoffs, leading many people to enter an era of budget reduction.