Consumption Decisions at the Bottom of the Pyramid

Consumption at the bottom of the pyramid is often reduced to low purchasing power.

However, it is better understood as a system of continuous prioritization under constraint.

This project examines everyday consumption decisions among three urban low-income workers,

focusing on where they buy, how they buy, and the trade-offs that shape their

choices. Our respondents include a street hawker and two security guards,

all of whom are primary earners for their households. While their incomes and occupations

differ, their consumption behaviors reflect common structural constraints faced

by urban BoP households. Across all three households, consumption priorities are clearly hierarchic.