Commoditisation or commodification refers to the process by which something which was not a commodity is made into a commodity and becomes part of the market economy. It occurs when things that were earlier not traded in the market become commodities.

The growth of capitalism around the world has meant the extension of markets into places and spheres of life that were previously untouched by this system. For instance, labour or skills become things that can be bought and sold. According to Marx and other critics of capitalism, this process has negative social effects.

A striking example is the controversy around the sale of kidneys by the poor to cater to rich patients needing transplants. Many people believe human organs should not become commodities. Similarly, in contemporary India, marriages were traditionally arranged by families, but now professional marriage bureaus and websites help people find matches for a fee.

Another example is education, with the burgeoning of privately owned schools, colleges, and coaching classes. Social skills like good manners and etiquette, earlier imparted by families, are now taught by private institutes offering courses in 'personality development'.

Culture itself may become a commodity. The famous Pushkar fair in Rajasthan, originally a social and economic event for local people, is now marketed internationally as a major tourist attraction, where cultural symbols and religious merit are exchanged along with livestock and money.