How to Shop Ethically in 2022?

The amount that we buy increases every year. According to the National Retail Federation, American shoppers buy more and more every year, with an average increase of 4.4% annually, and a record increase of 8.2% in 2020.

As we begin another year, consider adding ‘ethical shopping’ to your list of resolutions for 2022.

Easier said than done, you may be saying! With so many guides to the “best ethical brands” in every industry, it can be difficult to know where to start.

This guide will help you understand what ethical shopping is and how you can apply ethical shopping in your day to day life for all types of products.

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What is Ethical Shopping?

At its core, ethical shopping is the practice of buying from companies whose values you support. This definition, of course, leaves a lot of room for interpretation. For example, the values of an organization may be expressed in different ways, such as how they produce their products, how they treat their employees, and where, if anywhere, they donate.

While ethics are a notoriously difficult subject to make generalizations about, as a general rule, ethical companies are ones that do not harm people, animals, or the environment.

How to Shop Ethically

1. Shop Less, Shop Used

The first step to ethical shopping is simply not shopping. While some items are obviously a necessity, like groceries, others may be more of a luxury, like that new shirt or gadget you’ve been eyeing.

 

Before shopping, consider whether you really need the item. Constant consumption depletes resources and has large environmental impacts.

 

If you must buy, try to buy the item used, online or at a thrift store. Or, try reducing your impact by buying items made from recycled materials.

2. Examine Your Values

This part is likely the most difficult part of ethical shopping, as it may require some introspection. Here are a few product types that may align with your values:

 

●     Sustainable products - Sustainable products have a low carbon footprint, are made from recycled materials, or can be recycled. Generally, sustainable products do not deplete resources or contribute largely to global warming.

●     Cruelty free products - Cruelty-free products have not been tested on animals.

●     Locally-made products - Locally-produced products are considered more ethical by some because they support the local economy and are often made by small businesses, which may have smaller environmental impacts.

●     Products made using fair labor practices, including fair wages and safe working conditions

 

It would be very difficult to check off all of these boxes before every single purchase you make. After all, typical consumers in the U.S. make around 70 purchases every month.

 

However, whenever you get the chance, evaluate your items for at least one of these characteristics before you buy.

3. Check the Brand’s Donation History

Many corporations donate to nonprofit organizations. To be an ethical shopper, check whether the brand you’re buying from has donated to organizations that align with your values.

This is not always possible, as while foundations are required to disclose any donations on their taxes, corporations are not.

However, some companies may advertise the charitable work they do. For example, some shoe companies advertise the fact that they donate a pair of shoes for every shoe bought.

Additionally, you can search for an individual's contributions. For example, you can search a company CEO’s political donations using the Federal Election Commission’s search tool.

While the CEO’s affiliations don’t necessarily reflect the company’s values, many people, especially millennials, choose to support brands whose CEO’s politics align with their own.

4. Look Out For Ethical Shopping Seals

Many seals can be placed on products that comply with a certain set of environmental or safety standards.

The most well-known and all-encompassing seal is the Fair Trade Certification seal, which may be applied to products whose companies comply with safe labor practices, and support sustainable livelihoods and environmental protection. Fair Trade products meet social, environmental, and economic standards.

 

You can shop for Fair Trade products through the Fair Trade Certified website’s shopping guide and product finder. [1] 

There are a number of sustainability seals that show the product was produced in an environmentally-friendly way. “Green” seals vary greatly from industry to industry.

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For example, when buying clothes or other textiles, look out for the Bluesign seal, which denotes a company’s commitment to sustainable development. When buying light bulbs, look out for Energy Star certified light bulbs, which means the bulb uses less energy than conventional ones and meets the U.S. EPA’s energy efficiency guidelines.

 

Cruelty free labels show that the product has not been tested on animals, and often looks like a rabbit. In Canada and the U.S., there is no law against animal testing, so cruelty free seals often look different depending on which organization reviewed the product.

 

The three most trusted labels that are not designed to mislead the consumers are the Leaping Bunny logo, PETA's cruelty-free logo, and the Choose Cruelty-Free logo (based in Australia). PETA and Choose Cruelty Free have even created apps where consumers can check if a product has been certified.

5. Buy Ethically Audited Products

Many companies choose to undergo a third-party ethical audit before placing products on the market. These audits ensure safe labor practices, fair wages, and proper waste management practices are being followed.

Ethical audits also help large companies make sure that their smaller suppliers are also following ethical labor practices.

 

There are many different types of ethical audits a company may undergo, and different seals to show consumers the company complies with ethical standards. One example is the Nest Seal, a symbol that shows an item is ethically handcrafted. Products in a wide variety of industries may achieve a Nest Seal.

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Conclusion: Why Buy Ethically?

All of this may seem like more trouble than it’s worth. After all, it’s a pain to research every single company we buy from.

 

Ethical shopping, sometimes referred to as “voting with your wallet,” does have an impact. As consumers demand more environmentally and socially-conscious products, companies are starting to listen.

 

So don’t be overwhelmed. Even small steps like buying fair trade coffee are a great start to ethical shopping. After all, a small step is better than nothing at all, and is more powerful than you think.

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Image source: buildanest.org, Fairtradecertified.org