It’s not all bad news. An increasing variety of ethically produced brands are emerging and offering ethical alternatives to high-street products whose ethical values are questionable. Websites like New Consumer (www.ethicalconsumer.org) advertise an array of ethically-informed products, from organic make-up to electric scooters, eco-kettles, fashion products and even ethical holidays.
Ethical Consumerism in the UK 2011-2012
Source for statistics: Ethical Consumer Markets Report 2013 from UK ethicalconsumer.org (UK)
Ethical Food and Drink
| 2010 £m | 2011 £m | 2012 £m | % growth 2011-2012 |
Organic food | 1,475 | 1,382 | 1,332 | -4% |
Fairtrade | 1,064 | 1,253 | 1,552 | 24% |
Rainforest Alliance | 1,197 | 1,345 | 1,980 | 47% |
Free range eggs | 419 | 525 | 577 | 10% |
Free range poultry | 251 | 265 | 261 | -2% |
Vegetarian meat alternatives | 541 | 573 | 613 | 7% |
Freedom Food | 572 | 740 | 1,012 | 37% |
Sustainable fish | 141 | 293 | 353 | 20% |
Boycotts total | 1,084 | 1,113 | 2,478 | 123% |
Total | 6,747 | 7,491 | 10,160 | 36% |
Green Home
| 2010 £m | 2011 | 2012 | % growth 2011-2012 |
Energy efficient household appliances | 2,068 | 2,044 | 2,138 | 5% |
Energy efficient boilers | 2,332 | 2,374 | 2,489 | 5% |
Micro generation | 248 | 936 | 1,407 | 50% |
Energy efficient light bulbs | 43 | 48 | 56 | 17% |
Ethical cleaning products | 41 | 42 | 43 | 3% |
FSC timber/wood products | 1,654 | 1,706 | 1,653 | -3% |
Green energy | 351 | 378 | 139 | -63% |
Rechargable batteries | 46 | 45 | 43 | -3% |
Buying for re-use: household products | 823 | 819 | 973 | 19% |
Total | 7,611 | 8,394 | 8,943 | 7% |
Eco travel and Transport
Eco travel and Transport | 2010 £m | 2011£m | 2012 £m | % growth 2011-2012 |
Responsible tour operators | 164 | 169 | 177 | 4% |
Visits to environmental tourist attractions | 19 | 17 | 17 | 2% |
Cars | 846 | 1,088 | 2,800 | 157% |
Bicycles | 698 | 650 | 705 | 8% |
Boycotts | 1,068 | 1,198 | 846 | -29% |
Total | 2,796 | 3,123 | 4,545 | 46% |
Ethical Personal Products
| 2010 £m | 2011 £m | 2012 £m | % growth 2011-2012 |
Ethical clothing | 171 | 145 | 144 | -1% |
Ethical cosmetics | 528 | 558 | 555 | -1% |
Charity shops | 350 | 389 | 378 | -3% |
Buying for re-use: clothing | 321 | 330 | 432 | 31% |
Boycotts | 333 | 346 | 306 | -12% |
Real nappies | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5% |
Sub-Total | 1,708 | 1,773 | 1,820 | 3% |
NEW Ethical jewellery | – | – | 3 | – |
NEW Co-consumption | – | 8 | 10 | 20% |
Total | 1,708 | 1,782 | 1,834 | 3% |
Community
| 2010 £m | 2011 £m | 2012 £m | % growth 2011-2012 |
Local Shopping | 2,330 | 2,368 | 2,583 | 9% |
Voluntary income of top 500 charities (NEW) | 3,039 | 4,222 | 5,160 | 22% |
Total | 5,369 | 6,590 | 7,743 | 17% |
Ethical money
| 2010 £m | 2011 £m | 2012 £m | % growth 2011-2012 |
Total | 20,995 | 20,912 | 21,171 | 1% |
Average Ethical Spend £ per year
| 2000 | 2012 |
Renewable energy | £0 | £59 |
Transport | £25 | £172 |
Clothes | £23 | £48 |
Sustainable home products | £59 | £184 |
Energy efficiency | £20 | £96 |
Cosmetics | £7 | £21 |
Food and drink | £88 | £385 |
Local shopping | £69 | £98 |
Total | £291 | £1,062 |