Everyday consumer experiences and geo-socialisation of young people in Bulgaria. ‘Look, I'm not the type of person like Greta Thunberg’.

This research examines how early youth in Bulgaria develop their sustainable consumer identities through socio-spatial contexts, using relational and critical frameworks. The study explores the interplay between the lived experiences of young individuals and their environmental engagement, incorporating aspects of consumer culture and climate change. The primary goal is to gain an understanding of young people's consumption practices and subjectivities in the post-communist Bulgarian society context. The sampling comprised 13 young individuals from diverse backgrounds living in both urban and rural areas of Bulgaria. A geo-social methodological approach was used, triangulating data from mapping activities, in-depth interviews, and essays. The focus was on examining the spatial and temporal dimensions of everyday consumer practices to provide a holistic view of their subjective experiences. The key findings indicate that youth hold complex identities that are relational to intersectionality, which can differ from top-down perceptions of sustainable consumers. The study discusses how intergenerational relations, close connections with the countryside, and social spaces where online and offline practices take place, significantly shape the consumer identities of young people. By offering valuable insights into the consumption behaviours and subjectivities of Bulgarian youth, this study contributes to the existing literature by bringing a bottom-up study agenda.