The liberalisation of Western society has led to the destruction of
certain taboos, but on the individual level, taboo destruction may be
curtailed by opposing conventions. This study investigates the
boundaries of taboo destruction in relation to buying products that were
once considered as taboo but are increasingly subject to
liberalisation, namely, sex toys. Adopting an exploratory mixed-method
approach, which combines a consumer survey with expert interviews, this
study establishes a framework suggesting that self-protection and status
maintenance are the core forces behind individual-level taboo
construction. Additionally, consumers may voluntarily construct taboos
regarding sex toys as the controlled violation of a taboo is associated
with sexual excitement. Implications about how the results diverge from
societal taboo destruction, on which sex toy retailing is currently
built, are discussed.