Ethical shopping – does it make a difference?

Well if you’re on the Green Pages website you probably don’t need to be told what ethical shopping is about.

You probably know all the labels to look for - Fairtrade, Soil Association Organic Standard, BUAV, Marine Stewardship Council, FSC. It’s also likely that you look out for secondhand goods or products made from recycled materials in an attempt not to use up any more of the world’s resources. And I’m guessing you try to support your local economy by shopping in local, independent shops.

However, while you’re doing all this, there are probably also times when you think, 'Is this really worth it? Am I making any difference?'.

So here are some statistics to encourage you and show that yes, you are making a difference.

Let’s start with the Ethical Consumerism Report 2011 published last year by The Co-operative Group. This showed that despite the economic downturn in 2010 sales of ethical goods and services were £46.8bn, an increase of almost 9% on the previous year. In 1999 that figure was only £13.5bn, so we’ve come a long way.

In addition, according to the Fairtrade Foundation in 2011 estimated retail sales of Fairtrade products reached £1.32bn, a 12% increase on sales of £1.17bn in 2010.

And on their website EIRIS, the Ethical Investment Research Service, state that there is now around £10 billion invested in UK green and ethical retail funds, up from £1.5 billion 10 years ago.

Of course it isn’t all good news - organic food sales are down and uncertainty regarding the feed-in tariff means that the renewable energy market has become more difficult.

However in many areas things are moving in the right direction and that has been brought about in large part by the power of people seeking to spend their money in line with their ethical values.

So as individuals and business owners we should keep seeking out businesses that share our values, supporting local shops and looking for ethical labels. Guides like the Brighton & Hove Green Pages, the nationwide directory Purple Dot and publications like the Ethical Consumer can help make it easier.
At the end of the day, the purchasing decisions we make shape the values that our economy embodies. In making ethical purchases we are helping to create a fairer, more sustainable economy. We are making a difference.