In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, unproductive consumption of goods is regarded not as honorable, but rather looked down upon as action deserving punishment. Each of the golden ticket holders except Charlie is shown to be guilty of unproductive consumption of goods in one way or another. Augustus eats too much, Violet chews too much gum, Veruca simply consumes too much of everything, and Mike TV watches too much television. Each child exits the factory because of their respective weakness. Augustus falls into the chocolate river because he is trying to drink it, Violet chews a piece of gum that turns her into a huge blueberry, Veruca is rejected in the Eggdicator as a bad egg, and Mike gets shrunk in the television machine.

In this nationally ambiguous film, Americans are represented by the Beauregardes ("With Sam B. it's a guarantee!") and Mike TV. In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the American version of unproductive consumption is the watching of television. The film comments on the effects of violence in the media. Mike TV is always dressed as a cowboy and later introduces himself to Wonka by saying, "Bam! You're dead!" and shooting him in the stomach with his toy pistol.

In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory unproductive consumption is looked down upon. Ultimately, Wonka praises Charlie for his productive consumption. Charlie productively consume his experience at the chocolate factory because he learned from it. Veblen explains the decline in the view of unproductive consumption as honorable.

"The subsequent relative decline in the use of conspicuous leisure as a basis of repute is due partly to an increasing relative effectiveness of consumption as an evidence of wealth; but in part it is traceable to another force, allien, and in some degree antagonistic, to the useage of conspicuous waste . . . This alien factor is the instinct of workmanship. Other circumstances permitting, that instinct disposes men to look with favor upon productive efficiency and on whatever is of human use" (93).

Charlie exhibits this instinct of workmanship. He wants to earn his own fortune, not take property as booty like Veruca and the others. When Charlie returns the gobstopper to Wonka, the candyman is working at his desk. In that moment, they are joined in their appreciation for the instinct of workmanship.