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Posted January 1, 2026 Reviewed by Margaret Foley
The new year, for many, comes with New Year’s resolutions, and presumably, this one will be no different. This made me think that it would be wonderful if consumers could also consider making resolutions to be sensible shoppers. Sensible shopping can help better individuals’ well-being and the environment, as well as the well-being of those working in manufacturing.
With 2026 upon us, I thought it would be beneficial for me, as a consumer psychologist, to offer you five suggestions on how consumers can improve their situation or that of others in the upcoming year.
There are many other things you can do to be a sensible shopper. But there’s no need to do all of them, unless you want to, of course. If you can adopt just one in 2026, it may go some way to help yourself or others.
On that note, I wish you all a happy New Year!
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Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, Ph.D., is a Consumer Psychologist based at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
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From the power of pausing to the ability to ignore, we’ve culled 26 simple, actionable measures for gaining a sense of control and living a meaningful life.
Self Tests are all about you. Are you outgoing or introverted? Are you a narcissist? Does perfectionism hold you back? Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today.