Empowering students to tackle consumerism and sustainability with the 'Buy Now!' documentary

The Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT) is pleased to share brand new resources it’s developed to accompany the new hotly-anticipated Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy documentary–an eye-opening Netflix film that delves into the effects of consumerism on our environment and society. To help empower young people, ACT has developed free, curriculum-aligned resources to support Key Stage 3 teachers in delivering powerful lessons on media literacy, consumer responsibility, and environmental impact.

Buy Now! offers a compelling look at the often-overlooked consequences of mass consumption and the way advertising shapes our purchasing habits. As the world becomes more aware of these issues, educators play a vital role in equipping young people with the skills to critically assess media and think about the ethics of consumption. These new resources allow teachers to explore these complex topics in an accessible and engaging way, using real-life examples from the documentary.

About the Lessons

Lesson 1: How Advertising Influences Us
This lesson introduces students to the powerful role that advertising—particularly celebrity endorsements—plays in shaping consumer choices. Using video clips and presentations, students examine key concepts such as brand loyalty, media literacy, and the environmental impact of impulsive consumption. This session also encourages students to think critically about their own buying habits and consider the shared responsibility between consumers and corporations.

Skills Developed: Oracy, critical thinking, media literacy, consumer responsibility
Key Question Examples:

• How does advertising influence consumer decisions?
• What are the environmental consequences of excessive consumption?

Lesson 2: Understanding Planned Obsolescence
In this lesson, students investigate the concept of planned obsolescence—the practice of designing products with limited lifespans to encourage frequent replacements. The lesson includes case studies and discussion guides that challenge students to think about corporate responsibility and how they, as consumers, can advocate for more sustainable practices.

Skills Developed: Active citizenship, corporate and consumer responsibility, critical thinking
Key Question Examples:

• Why do companies design products with limited lifespans?
• How can consumers take action to reduce waste?

Why These Resources Matter

In today’s fast-paced media landscape, students are exposed to countless messages encouraging consumption, often with little regard for long-term environmental impacts. These lessons, inspired by Buy Now!, give teachers a valuable opportunity to engage students with critical thinking about these pressing issues. The resources are designed to be engaging, thought-provoking, and easily integrated into the Citizenship curriculum, offering teachers practical tools to foster active, informed citizens.