coconsumption

Coconsumption, or co-consumption, designates the shared use and enjoyment of goods or services by two or more individuals or households rather than exclusive ownership and single-person consumption. It emphasizes access and coordination over possession, and can occur within families, neighborhoods, or across wider networks. Forms range from temporary borrowing and renting to simultaneous use and collaborative purchase.

Common domains include media and digital services (family or household accounts used by multiple members), transportation (car-sharing, bike-sharing), tools and equipment libraries, shared housing arrangements, communal meals, and bulk or subscription-based consumption facilitated by platforms. The concept also encompasses community-supported or peer-to-peer arrangements where participants pool resources to access goods and services.

Economic and social dimensions: Coconsumption can increase asset utilization, lower individual costs, reduce environmental footprints, and expand access for people with limited means. It can enable experimentation with new goods and services without ownership, influence business models (subscription, pay-per-use), and support local networks. Challenges include coordinating use, ensuring quality and safety, liability, data privacy, and potential regulatory constraints.

Relation to broader concepts: Coconsumption is a component of the sharing economy and collaborative consumption, and is studied in economics, sociology, and environmental research as a pathway to sustainable consumption and social capital formation.