Ethical consumerism facts for kids

Ethical consumerism is when people choose to buy products and services that are made in a way that helps people, animals, and the environment. It's like "voting with your money." You support companies that do good things, like paying fair wages or protecting nature. At the same time, you avoid products from companies that might harm children, test on animals, or pollute the Earth.

The idea of "ethical consumer" became popular in the UK thanks to a magazine called Ethical Consumer, which started in 1989. This magazine helped people by creating "ratings tables." These tables gave companies scores based on how they treated animals, people, and the environment. This made it easier for shoppers to pick products that matched their values. Today, many big financial companies also use similar ratings to show how responsible businesses are.

Sometimes, you might hear the term "political consumerism." This is very similar to ethical consumerism. It means using your buying choices to support certain political or social ideas. For example, choosing to buy from local businesses can be a form of political consumerism because it supports your community.

Consumer Groups and Their Start

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, people in industrial countries started forming groups to make sure they got good value for their money. These groups also cared about how workers were treated and wanted clear labels on food, makeup, and medicines.

For example, the Consumer League was created in New York, USA, in 1891. Another group, the National Consumers League, started in the USA in 1898. These groups worked to improve conditions for workers and ensure products were safe and fair.

Why Ethical Shopping Matters

Making Moral Choices

Every time you buy something, you are making a choice. Some people believe that all buying decisions have a moral side. This means that your choices can affect others, even if they are far away. For example, if you buy a product, you are supporting the way it was made, the people who made it, and its impact on the planet.

Many beliefs, including some religious ones, suggest that humans should take good care of the Earth. They believe we have a duty to protect the planet and its creatures. From a non-religious point of view, it's also clear that the Earth's ability to support life depends on a delicate balance. Our choices can help keep that balance.

Spending as a Statement

Some experts believe that how we spend our money is one of the clearest ways we show what we truly care about. If you say you care about the environment but keep buying things that harm it, your actions don't match your words. Ethical consumerism helps you make sure your spending matches your values.

Many churches and religious groups have also joined the Fair Trade movement. Fair Trade ensures that farmers and workers in developing countries get fair prices and good working conditions for their products. Groups like Ten Thousand Villages and SERRV International are examples of organizations that support Fair Trade.

Labels and Standards to Look For

Many labels and certifications have been created to help ethical consumers make choices. These labels tell you that a product meets certain standards.

Here are some examples of labels you might see:

• B Corporation: Shows a company meets high standards for social and environmental performance.
• Co-op Marque: Identifies products from cooperative businesses.
• Dolphin safe: Means fishing methods used did not harm dolphins.
• EKOenergy: For electricity that comes from renewable sources.
• Fairtrade: Ensures fair prices and conditions for producers in developing countries.
• Free-range poultry: Chickens had access to the outdoors.
• FSC-certified: Wood comes from responsibly managed forests.
• Green America Seal of Approval: For businesses committed to social and environmental responsibility.
• Halal and Kosher: Religious dietary standards.
• Local food: Food grown or produced close to where it's sold.
• MSC-certified: Seafood comes from sustainable fisheries.
• Organic food: Grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
• Product Red: Supports programs to fight diseases like AIDS.
• Rainforest Alliance certified: Products from farms that meet environmental and social standards.
• Recycled/recyclable: Made from recycled materials or can be recycled.
• Vegan: Contains no animal products.

Some countries require labels that show where clothing or food comes from. This helps consumers know if products were made using child labour or in unfair conditions, which is against the law in many developed nations. These labels help you trust that a product meets certain ethical rules.

Some companies in the United States are working to reduce their carbon footprint (the amount of greenhouse gases they release). They do this by changing their energy use or by supporting businesses that use green technologies. For example, in 2009, a neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia, called Virginia-Highland, became the first "Carbon-Neutral Zone" in the US. Businesses there worked to balance out their carbon emissions by supporting forest projects.

What Ethical Consumerism Cares About

The Ethical Consumer Research Association looks at how companies perform in five main areas. They call this the "Ethiscore":

• Environment: How a company affects the planet, including pollution, climate change, and use of natural resources.
• People: How a company treats its workers and respects human rights. This also includes fair marketing and avoiding weapons.
• Animals: Whether a company tests on animals or uses factory farming methods.
• Politics: A company's political actions, if it's involved in genetic engineering, or if it uses unfair financial practices.
• Product Sustainability: If products are organic, Fairtrade, or have other positive environmental features.

Research on Ethical Shopping

Studies have shown that many consumers care about the ethics of large companies. For example, a study across five countries (Germany, USA, Britain, France, and Spain) found that many people believe companies are not always acting ethically.

About one-third of people surveyed said they would pay more for ethical brands. However, what people considered "ethical" varied a lot from country to country. For example, Coca-Cola was seen as ethical in the US, but not in the UK.

In the UK, The Co-operative Bank has tracked ethical consumerism since 2001. Their reports show that the market for ethical products and services has grown significantly over the years, showing that more and more people are choosing to shop ethically.

Organizations like Green America and the Ethical Consumer Research Association provide research and guides to help consumers. They assess companies based on their human rights record, environmental impact, animal welfare, and political actions. This information helps people make informed choices about what to buy.

Related Ideas

Conscientious Consumption

Conscientious consumption is when people make a habit of buying from ethical companies and avoid impulse buys from unethical ones. They do this to make a positive impact on society and the environment. Sometimes, people might buy things they don't really need, just because it's "for a good cause." For example, buying a pink ribbon product to support breast cancer awareness.

This type of consumerism has become more popular as people become more aware of how their purchases affect the world. However, some companies use "greenwashing" – deceptive marketing that makes a product seem environmentally friendly when it's not. This can make it harder for consumers to trust brands.

Alternative Giving

When it comes to giving gifts, some charities offer "alternative gifts." Instead of buying a physical item, you make a donation in someone's name. The person receiving the gift gets a card explaining the donation, while the actual gift (like farm animals or supplies) goes to a family in a poor community. This is a way to give ethically and help those in need.

Challenges of Ethical Consumerism

Some people argue that ethical consumerism alone can't change big problems. They say it focuses too much on individual choices instead of bigger changes like new laws or group actions. It can also be hard for shoppers to get all the information they need about how a product was made.

One study even suggested that "buying green" might sometimes make people act less ethically in other areas of their lives. It's like they feel they've done their good deed by buying an ethical product, so they don't need to be as careful elsewhere.

Another challenge is that companies sometimes use images or labels that make products seem ethical, even if the full story is more complicated. This can make it hard for consumers to know the real impact of their purchases.

Images for kids

• 

  An electric wire reel reused as a center table in a Rio de Janeiro decoration fair. When consumers choose and reuse environmentally friendly material like this, they are practicing ethical consumerism.

• 

  A sign showing a business is "carbon neutral," meaning it balances out its carbon emissions.

See also

In Spanish: Consumo responsable para niños

• Anti-consumerism
• Cause marketing
• Consumerism
• Critical consumerism
• Ethical banking
• Ethical eating
• Ethical investing
• Fair trade
• Green brands
• Socially responsible investing
• Sustainable living
• Veganism
• Vegetarianism