Fair-trade and ethical supply
“Fairtrade sales rose to half a billion pounds last year, which is proof that the public do place a value on sustainability and are willing to put their money where their mouths are.”(Natural Products, July/August 2008, p28)
Whilst there has been recent, rapid growth in ethical consumerism in the UK, it is not a new phenomenon, as the following news clippings show:
“Almost half those questioned were operating some kind of personal boycott of products in the marketplace. The most popular was against products which harm the environment with 30% avoiding products which destroy the ozone layer. 25% were concerned about the animal testing of goods like cosmetics.”(Daily Telegraph, 1989).
“47% of adults claimed to have bought environmentally friendly products in the last 12 months.“(Harris, “Shades of Green”, National Consumer Council, 1994).
More recently a “Guardian” supplement, “The way we eat now” included the following suggestions for ways in which individuals could act in order to bring about change in the current system:
- Buy from your local independent shops, including grocers, butchers, bakers, newsagents and pharmacies whenever you can. Smile at the shopkeeper.
- Read the labels on your food. If you don’t recognise the ingredients put the products back on the shelf. As a useful rule of thumb, the more heavily processed a food, the poorer the nutrition is likely to be.
- Put a chart of what’s in season in this country on your fridge. Buy seasonal, locally produced food whenever you can. Stop routinely buying food which is out of season.
- Join a box delivery scheme or a food co-op. Buy organic if you can. Shopping this way ensures more of the profits go back to the producers.
- Look out for food miles and choose produce which clocks up the fewest.
It can be seen that these principles are very much in line with those of the Wholefood Planet brand.