The symbolic efficacy of goods: structure and meaning of consumption rituals - The author traces the evolution of the concept of ritual that as a shift from a religious and sacred meaning to a cultural meaning. Thanks to Mary Douglas the ritual can be conceived as a symbolic action that shapes and gives order to the human experience. Amongst the contemporary rituals the consumption rituals have assumed a very important role in the management of meanings, particularly in the case of the passages occurring in individual and collective life.
Keywords: Ritual, ritual of consumption, rite of passage, symbolism, consumption, goods