Ethical Consumer

*Ethical Consumer Magazine*
Frequency	Bi-monthly
Founder	Rob Harrison and Jane Turner
Founded	1989
Company	Ethical Consumer Research Association
Country	UK
Based in	Manchester, England
Language	English
Website	www.ethicalconsumer.org
ISSN	0955-8608

Ethical Consumer Research Association Ltd (ECRA) is a British not-for-profit publisher, research, political, and campaign organisation which publishes information on the social, ethical and environmental behaviour of companies and governments and issues around trade justice and ethical consumption.^[1] It was founded in 1989 by Rob Harrison and Jane Turner^[2]^[3]^[4] and has been publishing the bi-monthly Ethical Consumer Magazine since.^[1] Its office is in Manchester.^[1]

History

Ethical Consumer was formed in Hulme, Manchester, UK, in 1989. Between 1989 and 2009 it was a worker co-operative,^[1] then in 2009 became a not-for-profit multi-stakeholder co-operative consisting of worker members and investor/subscriber members.^[5] It is an industrial and provident society.^[6]

Company research and ratings

Ethical Consumer researches the social, ethical and environmental records of companies,^[1] using media reporting, NGO reports, corporate communications and primary research.

Consumer publishing

It publishes a bi-monthly print magazine, Ethical Consumer Magazine, sold via subscription, shops and newsstands, and a consumer website which is partly subscription based. This includes analysis of company and product ethics^[1]^[7] by sector including: Banking Sector, Energy Industry, Fashion, Food & drink, Home & Garden, Supermarkets, Technology and Transport. Some of the causes it supports are more contentious, such as the BDS movement.^[8]

It produces reports on products and companies, and lists current boycotts.^[1] It also produces the annual UK Ethical Consumer Markets Report^[9] in conjunction (2019) with The Co-operative Bank.

Campaigning

Ethical Consumer runs consumer oriented campaigns, including a boycott against Amazon.com, Inc. for its use of tax avoidance.^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]

Consultancy work

Ethical Consumer also undertakes consultancy, research and ethical company screenings,^[14] primarily for NGOs and third sector clients.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Toynbee, Polly (18 December 1996). "Why the green shopper is not being properly served". The Independent. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
^ "How can you shop with a conscience?". BBC News. 5 October 1999. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
^ Shanta Barley (14 September 2010). "Vote for your unsung green hero". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
^ Tim Hunt (June 2010). "Workers of the world, co-operate!". RedPepper.org. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
^ Boyle, Dave (2 March 2012). "Fresh Ideas 2 – Good News: A co-operative solution to the media crisis" (PDF). Co-operatives UK. p. 38. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
^ "Annual Review July 2023" (PDF). Ethical Consumer. 26 July 2023. p. 6. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
^ "From loo rolls to fashion: how to spend your cash more ethically". The Guardian. August 15, 2020.
^ Halbfinger, David M.; Wines, Michael; Erlanger, Steven (July 27, 2019). "Is B.D.S. Anti-Semitic? A Closer Look at the Boycott Israel Campaign". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2019-07-27. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
^ "The rise and rise of ethical shopping". New Internationalist. December 13, 2017.
^ Thomas, Daniel (October 13, 2020). "Amazon accused of Covid failings as Prime Day begins". BBC News.
^ Jones, Rupert (November 30, 2013). "Alternatives to Amazon: MPs spread seasonal boycott message". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
^ Brignall, Miles (October 13, 2020). "UK shoppers urged to shun Amazon Prime Day to support small businesses". The Guardian.
^ Allen, Katie (December 19, 2012). "'Boycott Amazon' campaign launched". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
^ "Consultancy & Research". eldis.org.

External links

Official website

[independent-toynbee-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Toynbee, Polly (18 December 1996). "Why the green shopper is not being properly served". The Independent. Retrieved 30 October 2020.

[2] "How can you shop with a conscience?". BBC News. 5 October 1999. Retrieved 2024-03-30.

[3] Shanta Barley (14 September 2010). "Vote for your unsung green hero". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 15 December 2011.

[4] Tim Hunt (June 2010). "Workers of the world, co-operate!". RedPepper.org. Retrieved 15 December 2011.

[5] Boyle, Dave (2 March 2012). "Fresh Ideas 2 – Good News: A co-operative solution to the media crisis" (PDF). Co-operatives UK. p. 38. Retrieved 30 March 2024.

[6] "Annual Review July 2023" (PDF). Ethical Consumer. 26 July 2023. p. 6. Retrieved 30 March 2024.

[7] "From loo rolls to fashion: how to spend your cash more ethically". The Guardian. August 15, 2020.

[8] Halbfinger, David M.; Wines, Michael; Erlanger, Steven (July 27, 2019). "Is B.D.S. Anti-Semitic? A Closer Look at the Boycott Israel Campaign". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2019-07-27. Retrieved 2024-03-21.

[9] "The rise and rise of ethical shopping". New Internationalist. December 13, 2017.

[10] Thomas, Daniel (October 13, 2020). "Amazon accused of Covid failings as Prime Day begins". BBC News.

[11] Jones, Rupert (November 30, 2013). "Alternatives to Amazon: MPs spread seasonal boycott message". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-03-30.

[12] Brignall, Miles (October 13, 2020). "UK shoppers urged to shun Amazon Prime Day to support small businesses". The Guardian.

[13] Allen, Katie (December 19, 2012). "'Boycott Amazon' campaign launched". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2024-03-30.

[14] "Consultancy & Research". eldis.org.

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v t e Consumer protection
Organizations	ANEC Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now BEUC CableHell Center for Auto Safety Chamber for Workers and Employees Choice Citizens Advice Citizens Advice Edinburgh Citizens Advice International Citizens Advice Scotland Citizens Advice outside the United Kingdom Connecticut Citizen Action Group Consumentenbond ConsumerLab.com Consumer Alert Consumer Council of Fiji Consumer Direct Consumer Federation of California Consumer NZ Consumer organization Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan Consumer Rights Directive 2011 Consumers Council of Canada Consumers' Association Consumers' Federation of Australia Consumers International Consumers' Coalition Consumers' Research Consumers Union CU Japan Consumer Watchdog Consumer Watchdog (Botswana) Konsumentenbund Euroconsumers Foodwatch Franchisees and Dealers ICRT Labdoor Open Food Facts Option consommateurs Stiftung Warentest StopBadware Swedish Consumers' Association Swiss Alliance of Consumer Organisations Test Achats Truth in Advertising UFC-Que Choisir
Magazines	Akher Saa Beobachter Choice Consumer Reports Consumers' Checkbook dTest Ethical Consumer Finanztest Guter Rat Pirkka Spendere Meglio Stiftung Warentest Which?
Television	The Checkout Don't Get Done, Get Dom Fair Go Fake Britain Fight Back! with David Horowitz Food Inspectors Gruen The Investigators JE Joe Lycett's Got Your Back Marketplace Rip Off Britain Rogue Traders Short Change Street Cents Target That's Life! Watchdog
Lists	List of consumer organizations ICRT Members Consumer organization
Issues	Airline complaints Anti-competitive practices Antitrust Better Business Bureau Class action Competition regulator Consumer complaint Consumer organization Cooling-off period Credit and debt Extended warranty Fair trade Federal Trade Commission Food safety List of food labeling regulations Mandatory labelling Ombudsman Planned obsolescence Product recall Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 Transparency (market)
People	Pamela Gilbert Joanna Guy Ted Halstead Arshad Hasan Tom Hucker Jim Jontz Gene Karpinski Florence Kelley James Love Ralph Nader Anthony Pollina Phil Radford Joyce Elaine Roop Donald Kemp Ross Gene Russianoff Celeste Thorson Michael Vernon
Governmental entities	Banking Standards Board Bureau of Consumer Protection Consumer Financial Protection Bureau European Consumer Centres Network Financial Consumer Agency of Canada Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety INDEPABIS National Homelessness Advice Service Office of Fair Trading Office for Fair Trading (Malta) Office for Fair Trading (Isle of Man) Pension Wise Water Industry Commission for Scotland Witness Service
Current competition regulators	Administrative Council for Economic Defense Anti-Monopoly Committee Australian Competition & Consumer Commission Autoridade da Concorrência Autorité de la concurrence Comisión Federal de Competencia Económica Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia Commerce Commission Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Competition and Markets Authority Competition Appeal Tribunal Competition Bureau Competition Commission Competition Commission Competition Commission Competition and Consumer Commission Directorate-General for Competition Fair Trade Commission Fair Trade Commission Fair Trade Commission Federal Antimonopoly Service Federal Cartel Office Federal Trade Commission Financial Markets Authority International Competition Network International Financial Services Commission Italian Competition Authority Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China Netherlands Competition Authority Norwegian Competition Authority Philippine Competition Commission Queensland Competition Authority Superintendency of Industry and Commerce United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division
Historic competition regulators	Channel Islands Competition and Regulatory Authorities Industrial Commission National Board for Prices and Incomes Securities Commission of New Zealand
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Environmental	Bioscience Resource Project Environmental Action League of Conservation Voters Green Corps Environment America