Consumables are goods used by individuals and businesses that must be replaced regularly because they wear out or are used up. They can also be defined as the components of an end product that is used up or permanently altered in the process of manufacturing such as semiconductor wafers and basic chemicals.

• Companies that make consumables needed for day-to-day living (food and clothing, for example) are usually considered safe investments in any economic environment.
• Online retailers often make hefty profits by selling consumables—Amazon reported that sales in consumables topped $10 billion in 2018.
• Consumables are also called non-durable or soft goods, and they are the opposite of durable goods.