In recent decades, studies of actual problems of modern society have focused on the trend of excessive consumption, typical for industrially developed societies and individual social groups in poor countries. A combination of economic, social, psychological and medical reasons are causes of this phenomenon with a multifaceted nature. The economic root cause of the phenomenon of overconsumption is the business aspiration to enrichment, which is achieved through the policy of continuous updating of the style of products and skillful advertising activities that provoke people to unintelligent consumption. The behavioral component of consumerism is caused by irrational decisions and consumer actions based on intuition, emotions, experience, and requirements of mass behavior. Recognition in the public consciousness of goods as symbols of social status also stimulates buying activity. In addition, for many people (against the background of stress, a state of loneliness and inner emptiness), consumerism becomes a cult and a meaning of life. At the same time, excessive consumption is fraught with the uncritical use of economic resources, short-term exploitation of products, critical pollution of the environment, meaningless financial expenses. Consumerism deforms, impoverishes both the individual and society as a whole. Shopping mania becoming a psychological disease restricts vital interests. It is easier to manipulate and control people who are zombies of consumption. A constructive alternative to consumerism is ethical consumption. The widespread distribution of this model of consumer behavior is the imperative of modern civilization.