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Economic Analysis: Theory and Practice
 

Cluster analysis of conspicuous consumption in Russian regions

ISSUE 7, JULY 2026

Received: 13 April 2026

Accepted: 25 May 2026

Available online: 30 July 2026

Subject Heading: ECONOMIC BEHAVIOR

JEL Classification: B52, D12, E2

Pages: 147-160

https://doi.org/10.24891/eiagot

Anna Yu. STRIZHAK Corresponding author, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU), St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
strizhak.a86@mail.ru

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4940-4113

Sergei A. CHERNOGORSKII Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU), St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
chernog_sa@spbstu.ru

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3564-3925

Elena A. LOBOVA Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU), St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
lobova_ea@spbstu.ru

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4490-5090

Subject. Conspicuous consumption, acting as a tool of social stratification.
Objectives. Identification of a stable relationship between the socioeconomic profile of regions and the spread of models of conspicuous consumption in them.
Methods. The study is based on the application of clustering, which was performed using the k-means method in the R environment.
Results. According to the results of clustering conducted on the basis of indicators of conspicuous consumption in the regions of Russia, average nominal accrued salaries, unemployment and household debt burden, the regions of the Russian Federation were stratified into 6 clusters. Clusters 2 and 3 were classified as the most prosperous, cluster 5 was classified as the most problematic, cluster 4 (the most numerous) was classified as the base regions, clusters 1 and 2 showed the highest concentration of luxury goods market infrastructure. Cluster 6 is characterized as abnormal due to the combination of a large amount of debt owed by the population and the number of luxury goods stores.
Conclusions. The desire for conspicuous consumption of luxury goods in Russian regions does not always directly correlate with income levels and is often determined by the influence of the specifics of the local economy.

Keywords: conspicuous consumption, cluster analysis, salary, unemployment, luxury level

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