Meaning & use
consumer group
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
An organization that works to protect people who buy goods and services, or a group of buyers who act together.
Grammar: Countable: say a consumer group or consumer groups; it takes a singular or plural verb depending on meaning.
Patterns
- a consumer group warns about something
- consumer groups call for something
- join a consumer group
A consumer group warned that the new fees were hidden in the small print.
Several consumer groups have asked the government to ban the ads.
She joined a consumer group to get advice about her faulty washing machine.
nouncountablebusiness
A set of buyers who share similar needs and are treated as one market by sellers.
Grammar: Used in business writing, often with a modifier: the youth consumer group, this consumer group.
Patterns
- target a consumer group
- a consumer group for something
- reach a consumer group
The company designed a cheaper phone for the teenage consumer group.
Health drinks are now aimed at an older consumer group.
Advertisers study each consumer group before spending money.
Word forms
| plural | consumer groups |
|---|
Common combinations
- consumer group warns
- A consumer group warns that airline charges are rising.
- consumer group calls for
- The consumer group calls for clearer labels on food.
- join a consumer group
- You can join a consumer group for free online.
- target a consumer group
- The brand decided to target a younger consumer group.
- independent consumer group
- An independent consumer group tested the toys for safety.
Synonyms and how they differ
- watchdog
- Informal for an organization that checks how companies behave; it can cover other areas, not only shoppers.
- buyers' group
- Close in meaning but less common and usually about buyers joining together to get lower prices.
Word family
- consumer noun
- A person who buys or uses goods and services.
- consumerism noun
- The culture of buying and owning many goods.
- consumerist adjective
- Describing a society or attitude focused on buying goods.
Commonly confused: consumer group or customer group?
consumer group vs customer group
A customer group is a set of buyers a company studies; a consumer group is usually an organization that defends buyers' rights.
Practice
Which sentence uses "consumer group" most naturally?
Choose one answer.
"Consumer group" is a countable noun meaning an organization that protects buyers, so it fits as the subject of "warned". The other options use it as a verb or give it an unrelated meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “consumer group”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.