Background information
Confession: I’m a shopaholic
by Thomas Meyer
«Shopping addiction is a silent addiction»
25/3/2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
One in five people are on the verge of developing a shopping addiction, says Christina Messerli. But hardly anyone’s talking about it. In this interview, the addiction expert explains how to tell if a friend needs help.
Recently, in the middle of the night, I was lying in bed, playing around on my phone. I’d had a stressful week, so I spontaneously booked a trip to Thailand – and spent way more than what I’d budgeted. To make matters worse, I’d only just been to Thailand. Do I have a problem?
That’s not something I can tell you. How did you feel afterwards?
I felt kind of ashamed. Who books two Thailand trips that close together?
It’s interesting you say you were going through a stressful time. It suggests you’ve already picked up on the fact that, when you’re feeling that way, you might buy something in the expectation that it’ll save you in that moment. But that’s precisely what tends to create a sense of unease a little later on.
Where does that unease come from?
Probably from being unsure whether you’re in control of your own behaviour or whether you’re allowing it to be controlled. I wouldn’t make a big deal out of the Thailand trip right now. That being said, there’s one element of this situation that might point to problematic shopping: your unease. Unfortunately, many people just brush off that feeling, ignore it, then end up caught in a downward spiral.
How many people is «many» people?
According to official statistics, five per cent of Switzerland’s population has a shopping addiction. That’s one side of it. However, one in five people are also at risk of developing one. That’s about the same as the number of people affected by alcohol addiction – in fact, it’s even higher.
How can I tell if I’m part of that 20 per cent?
There are some questions you could ask yourself. Have I ever experienced negative consequences as a result of my shopping habits? Has my shopping caused problems in my relationship? Have I ever gone over my budget, then run out of money by the end of the month? The main issue is that transition from risky to addictive behaviour usually happens gradually. Somebody’s behaviour might be considered risky due to the fact they always shop when they’re frustrated. However, at that point, they still have a way of dealing with it. Then something unexpected happens – maybe a breakup or a loss – and the only coping strategy they have is shopping. Suddenly, that risky behaviour turns into an addiction.
Does this apply equally to everyone? Or are certain people at higher risk?
Generally speaking, addiction can affect anyone. However, because it’s multifactorial – meaning it can have multiple causes – not everybody’s at the same risk. Take personal history, for example. People who grow up with parents experiencing addiction are five times more likely to develop addiction issues themselves. At the same time, structural factors play a major role. How much information is available to people? What are the prevailing values in a particular society? In the past, it was mostly women who developed shopping addictions. Today, men are just as likely to be affected, and tend to spend their money on digital gadgets.
Does making purchases online have a different impact on shopping addiction than buying things in a brick-and-mortar store?
The advent of online retail was a watershed moment in the progression of shopping addiction, and is a major driver of it. You can shop online 24/7 without even leaving your bed. There are virtually no natural barriers to it. Compulsive buying is strongly linked to availability. Plus, there are algorithms tailored directly to individuals, often affecting vulnerable people without a strong sense of self-esteem. Self-esteem, by the way, is a key issue for adults with shopping addictions – and especially for teenagers too.
Why?
Young people are particularly impressionable. They’re constantly scrolling on their phones and comparing themselves to others. With so many social media apps, fear of missing out – or FOMO, as it’s sometimes called – is on the rise. That fear might also increase the pressure people feel to buy more. As a result, shopping eventually becomes a means of regulating emotions.
Can’t the problem be resolved, at least financially speaking, by the fact that people can simply return their online purchases?
There are actually two false assumptions underpinning that idea. Firstly, people with a lot of money might take longer to realise that their shopping is problematic, but the distress it causes them is the same. They feel ashamed about having 17 handbags in their wardrobe too. Secondly, compulsive shoppers are more likely to hoard things, because if they return their purchases, somebody might realise something’s off.
Thomas Meyer, a writer and Galaxus contributor, [wrote a moving account of his own shopping addiction]/page/ich-bin-kaufsuechtig-ein-gestaendnis-33804) for our magazine. He suffers from depression and ADHD. How does that relate to his addiction?
Since shopping – and especially the anticipation leading up to a purchase – triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, it can create major temptation for people with ADHD. Like other addictions or addictive behaviours, shopping addiction often occurs alongside psychological stress and mental health conditions. Experts call this comorbidity. However, it still isn’t widely recognised, and it’s treated as a taboo too often.
In what sense is it treated as a taboo?
People experiencing shopping addiction view it as a weakness. They don’t talk about it, and keep themselves isolated in their addiction. In the long run, this can lead to a downward spiral. Thomas Meyer described this powerfully in his article. At first, people shop to get that brief rush of dopamine. Then, once it becomes a habit, that rush loses its intensity, all while the negative consequences get worse. Eventually, people suddenly find themselves shopping because it takes the pressure off. Making a purchase provides them with a brief moment of relaxation. Immediately followed by feelings of guilt, which they try to erase by shopping more. When someone’s caught in this vicious cycle, they experience very difficult emotions. It might go as far as self-hatred. People feel ashamed, so they hide their behaviour and don’t talk about it. It also doesn’t help that shopping has positive connotations.
Because people get compliments on their cool new clothes?
Yes, potentially. Shopping has taken on an almost spiritual status. But that’s not the case for gambling. People know it’s dangerous, so it’s regulated by law. When it comes to shopping, however, people think you can buy your way to happiness. If something’s considered positive, it’s easier to hide. Many people experiencing shopping addiction don’t even grasp what their problem is. It’s a silent addiction. That’s why we should invest more in raising awareness, both for those affected and the people in their lives.
Okay. Let’s say a friend of mine shows up to meet me wearing a brand-new leather jacket for the third time in the space of a week. How can I bring it up without jeopardising our friendship?
People do usually go on the defensive if you bring it up. But if you say to someone three or four times, «Hey, you know I’m here for you whenever,» they might suddenly decide to take you up on it. You could also just come right out and say, «Hey, I read an article about shopping addiction.» It helps if you show empathy, saying things like «I don’t feel great about this» or «I’m worried». Dialogue is what’s important – it fulfils a need. I noticed that in the comments under Thomas Meyer’s article. People affected by shopping addiction, as well as folks interested in the issue, came together and started talking about it. And they shared strategies that had helped them.
What might some of these strategies be?
It depends on the person. It’s definitely important to talk about problematic shopping and understand the behaviour. After that, it’s a matter of figuring out what role shopping plays in your life and what underlying need it’s fulfilling. You also need to identify activities that are good for you and do them. These could be anything from sport to exercise, to spending time with friends or reading up on a topic and gaining expertise in it. It should serve as an answer to the question: what do I need, and how can I experience and satisfy this need in a different way?
So should you stop shopping online altogether after that?
Not necessarily. The important thing, as Thomas Meyer also points out, is to set realistic personal goals. It doesn’t have to be «do zero shopping». In fact, it’s a good idea to give yourself some breathing room. The key thing in this process is getting to know yourself better.
Thomas Meyer kept a shopping journal.
Yes, that’s a good option. It allows you to just observe. If you buy something, write it down. Include information about how the purchase made you feel and how much money you spent. There’s no need to sugarcoat it; just state the facts. And after a while, you might realise you’re shopping or spending more than you thought.
When should you seek help?
I wish people would do this sooner. When they feel this sense of unease, or when shopping creates negative consequences for them. People often come to us really late. Or we might not see them until their debt counsellor or GP sends them to us.
Is it wrong to see your GP about shopping addiction?
No. You should seek help from anyone you can. From your friends and family, then from us, psychotherapists and doctors. That said, we’ve noticed that many professionals still don’t know enough about shopping addiction. It’s not in their awareness. But we’re working on that too.
That sounds like an uphill struggle. Don’t you ever feel discouraged?
Not discouraged exactly, but let me tell you something. A while back, I went on a TV show to talk about this issue. I had two super-intelligent psychologists sitting next to me, both of whom worked for a German online retailer. They conducted experiments on consumers, monitoring them to find out what behaviours they exhibited and how they could keep them on the shopping platform for longer. They were saying things along the lines of, «Oh, the customer hesitated for a moment there, maybe that’s where they’ll exit, we’ve got to catch them there.» I was gobsmacked by how much money the industry spends in preying on consumers. It turns human beings into objects. I was shocked to see psychologists and other professionals in the field allowing themselves to be co-opted into developing more and more dark patterns. They’ve evidently forgotten that there are people on the other side of these patterns. When they were asked about it, they just said that everybody has personal responsibility. As professionals, we need to challenge that attitude and take a stand against it.
You mentioned dark patterns. Which ones do you find particularly troublesome?
Anything that tries to give people a false sense of urgency or scarcity. Pop-ups like «Five other customers are currently viewing this product,» and so on. It’s also quite insidious when the aim is to gain people’s trust by using their personal data. «We know what you want, and in just one click, we’ve got exactly what you need.»
We definitely don’t want any dark patterns on Digitec or Galaxus. But our customers praise our advertising and say they want a personalised shopping experience. Where do you draw the line between that and deceptive patterns?
Neither black-and-white thinking nor dividing everything into the categories of good and bad are helpful. We need to deal with complexity. You don’t have to ban everything, but we need information and transparency. That’s why I liked Thomas Meyer’s article. His piece – and especially the comments underneath it – reveal that not everybody who shops on Digitec and Galaxus is that resistant to deceptive tactics.
We’ve just added a new feature that allows customers to track their spending and set spending limits. Shoppers can also choose to block the display of some buy-now-pay-later options. Are those sensible measures to put in place?
That sounds great – you’re essentially helping people to help themselves. These features are exactly the sort of things Thomas Meyer called for in his article. He mentioned he wished someone had approached him and asked him about his constant shopping, didn’t he? It’s important that people using your website see that these options are available, so don’t hide them.
Have we done enough? Or is there even more we could do?
I have a few ideas – some are low-effort, some are more ambitious. Shopping addiction being addressed at all on shopping platforms would be a significant step. If people can talk openly about the issue – in your comments section, for instance – awareness spreads and inhibitions fade. There’s a lot of potential to build on that format, for example by creating a forum that promotes and facilitates dialogue with interesting people like Thomas Meyer. For many people affected by shopping addiction, this kind of low-stakes entry to the topic can be a helpful first step. You could also create a self-assessment tool to help your customers reflect on their shopping habits and understand them better. It’d also make sense to reach out to consumers when they start showing signs of potentially risky shopping habits. This could be done through discreet information boxes or a link to relevant support resources, such as safezone.ch (website in German).
Doesn’t that mean we might run the risk of inadvertently patronising a large number of our customers?
That might pose a bit of a dilemma. The measures we’ve discussed would be unfamiliar and might seem a little strange at first. Ultimately, it all comes down to the stance you’re willing to take. What matters to you as a company? The pressure on companies to grow has led some of them to accept a certain degree of addictive behaviour. They may even use it as a way to cement customer loyalty. You, on the other hand, might say: «We won’t go along with that. We want our customers to be in control, well informed, and, above all, healthy. We’ll provide information and talk openly about taboo topics.» You’re already pioneers when it comes to transparency. So why not apply that to preventing and detecting shopping addiction? Maybe it could become another unique selling point that sets you apart from the competition.
Marc Engelhard
Public Affairs Manager
Marc.Engelhard@digitecgalaxus.chAt Digitec Galaxus, I deal with politics, business and society. Outside of work, I like to buy books and stack them up at home. The Japanese call this «tsundoku».
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