Shopping in the bargain basement: re-imagining pleasure and pride on the UK high street

Alison Hulme

Chapter 32 in Research Handbook on the Sociology of Consumption, 2026, pp 375-383 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter focuses on consumers’ experiences of and motivations for shopping in low-end, or ‘bargain stores’ (either single-price stores or those selling low-end products). The analysis revolves around a specific ethnographic research method – ‘the shop-along’ – whereby the researcher shops along with participants who are willing to engage in their usual shopping habits with the researcher in tow. The chapter details the shop-along method, along with the considerations required of researchers engaging in it. The study explores the experience of shopping in bargain stores – what it means to the consumer and how it feels. It then discusses the theoretical framework and ongoing debate around low-end shopping, and critically analyses the apparent contrast between provisioning and shopping for pleasure. The author's previous findings are discussed in relation to those of other researchers, and reflections and suggestions for future steps are offered.

Keywords: Bargain stores; Shop-along method; Pleasure; Consumer experience; Thrift; Class (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035310500
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