Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy overview

Engage and empower your students on the contemporary issues of consumerism and the environment. New to ACT? Sign up for a free E-Membership to access them now.

To support the release of the Netflix documentary, Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy, ACT has developed a short unit of work that uncovers corporate strategies designed to drive sales at any cost. The resources are perfect for engaging students with the challenges and opportunities of modern consumer behaviour. The two lessons and accompanying resources have been created to prompt critical thinking about how advertising influences consumer choices and drives impulsive buying. 

What do the resources cover?

In lesson 1, Buy Now! How does advertising influence consumption and its environmental consequences?, students:

• Use film clips to introduce issues related to consumption, corporate responsibility and sustainability
• Discuss how citizens have addressed these issues
• Explore the ‘information neighbourhoods’ model to understand media
• Analyse tactics companies use to increase sales
• Examine the influence of celebrity endorsements on purchasing behaviour
• Create an advertising pitch to learn about corporate strategies
• Discuss environmental and ethical impacts of rapid consumption
• Debate whether companies or consumers bear more responsibility

In lesson 2, Buy Now! Why do we keep buying? Consumerism, waste and corporate responsibility, students:

• Watch a 2-minute trailer of a woman shopping online, surrounded by past purchases
• Discuss changes in spending behavior, including reasons for online purchases
• Learn about planned obsolescence and its role in driving repeat purchases
• Analyse differences in technology design now vs the past
• Reflect on environmental and ethical impacts of planned obsolescence
• Plan actions students can take as consumers to promote sustainability and reduce waste

Ready-to-use teaching materials

Includes slide presentations, video clips, discussion guides, and activities that make it easy to dive into complex topics like media literacy, environmental impact, and corporate responsibility.

Help your students visualise the impact of consumerism and explore how they can challenge wasteful habits, understand their power as consumers, and advocate for change in their communities.