[theorique]

The consumer packaged goods industry generates two TRILLION dollars a year in the US, by selling us things we don't think we need

This is kind of misleading.

We certainly do need a substantial portion of that two trillion dollars worth of consumer packaged goods.

Perhaps not all of it - the electric powered corn buttering gadget is not a "fundamental need" - but things like kleenex, towels, soap are pretty basic, no?