Topic: ECONOMICS
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con‧sum‧er S2 W2
[countable]
[countable]BBT someone who buys and uses products and services [↪ consumption, producer]:
Consumers will soon be paying higher airfares.
Consumers will soon be paying higher airfares.WORD CHOICE: 
customer, client, patron, shopper, consumerCustomer is the most general word. A customer is someone who buys something from a particular shop. People who pay to use something such as a transport service can also be called customers • A customer came in and bought several jackets. • Customers are advised that the next train is delayed.A client is someone who pays for a service • a hairdresser and her clientsA patron of a particular restaurant, bar etc is someone who eats or drinks there. This is a fairly formal word and it is more usual to use customer • Patrons are asked to refrain from smoking.A shopper is someone who is involved in the activity of buying things from shops • The street was crowded with shoppers.A consumer is anyone who pays for goods and services. This word is used especially when you are talking about people's rights • Consumers have a right to know what they are buying. ➔ See also customer

customer, client, patron, shopper, consumerCustomer is the most general word. A customer is someone who buys something from a particular shop. People who pay to use something such as a transport service can also be called customers • A customer came in and bought several jackets. • Customers are advised that the next train is delayed.A client is someone who pays for a service • a hairdresser and her clientsA patron of a particular restaurant, bar etc is someone who eats or drinks there. This is a fairly formal word and it is more usual to use customer • Patrons are asked to refrain from smoking.A shopper is someone who is involved in the activity of buying things from shops • The street was crowded with shoppers.A consumer is anyone who pays for goods and services. This word is used especially when you are talking about people's rights • Consumers have a right to know what they are buying. ➔ See also customer
