Estonian experts: Soviet-era scarcity still drives consumer behaviour today

Estonian sociologist Margit Keller and consumer psychologist Ivar Soone say that memories of Soviet-era shortages continue to shape how Estonians relate to ownership and consumption. They also highlighted the role of brain biology in driving unnecessary purchases. The discussion took place on Vikerraadio's talk show 'Teise mätta otsast'.

Estonia's historical experience with Soviet-era shortages continues to influence how people relate to personal ownership and material goods, according to experts who appeared on Vikerraadio's popular talk show «Teise mätta otsast». Sociologist Margit Keller and consumer psychologist Ivar Soone argued that decades of living in a scarcity society have left a lasting psychological imprint on Estonian consumers.

Keller and Soone explained that for many Estonians, the desire to personally own objects — rather than rent or share them — is deeply rooted in collective memory. During the Soviet period, goods were often scarce or unavailable, and owning something meant security. That instinct, they suggested, has not simply faded with the restoration of independence and the arrival of market economy.

Beyond historical memory, the experts also pointed to biological factors. Soone noted that the human brain is wired in ways that can push people toward unnecessary purchases, with reward mechanisms triggering feelings of satisfaction during buying — even when the item itself serves little practical purpose.

The conversation touched on how these two forces — cultural memory and neurological impulse — interact and reinforce each other in contemporary Estonian consumer culture. Both experts agreed that understanding these mechanisms is an important first step toward more conscious and deliberate consumption habits.