consumer goods

American  

[kuhn-soo-mer goodz] / kənˈsu mər ˌgʊdz /

plural noun

Economics.

1. goods that are bought and used in satisfaction of human wants, as clothing, food, or appliances, and are not utilized in any further production (capital goods ).

---

consumer goods British  

plural noun

1. goods that satisfy personal needs rather than those required for the production of other goods or services Compare capital goods

---

consumer goods Cultural  

1. Goods, such as food and clothing, that satisfy human wants through their consumption or use. (Compare capital goods.)

---

Etymology

Origin of consumer goods

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Construction of warehouses exploded during the pandemic, boosted by pent-up demand for consumer goods and the growth of same-day delivery services from e-commerce companies like Amazon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

Each passing week tankers can’t traverse the narrow waterway, the world loses 70 million barrels of oil, as well as a host of other products vital for chip manufacturing, medical equipment and consumer goods.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

For years, policymakers celebrated cheap consumer goods as proof that globalization was working.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Nestlé will retain Blue Bottle’s consumer goods business, including instant coffee and ready-to-drink beverages, while Centurium will acquire Blue Bottle’s global stores, according to reports.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

New consumers, he reasoned, would need new consumer goods.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer