Ethical Consumer Magazine

Ethical Consumer Magazine We're an indie, NPO, CO-OP, ethical consumption magazine & research association est. 1989. We track sales data across a wide range of consumer sectors.

Our Story:
For over 30 years we have been the hub of the ethical consumer movement, helping consumers to shop ethically, campaigners to challenge corporate power and businesses to improve their supply chains. We are an independent, not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder co-operative with open membership, founded in 1989 by student campaigners. Our mission is to make global businesses more sustainable

through consumer pressure. You can read more about our mission and manifesto here - https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/about-us/ethical-consumer-manifesto

We have a range of products and services available:

Magazine:
The UK's leading alternative consumer magazine, published 6 times a year. Available as a paper copy delivered to your door, as a flip-book or as a digital download. If you sign up to our weekly newsletter you will get a free copy of a magazine. View a sample issue of our magazine here - https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/sites/default/files/flipbook/Issue%20174/

Shopping Guides and Ethical Ratings:
We understand it’s complex making ethical decisions in modern consumer markets, we aim to simplify it down into digestible and actionable key points, making it easy for busy people to understand which companies to support and which to avoid. We've developed the world's most sophisticated and simple to use, personal ethical rating system to give you the information you need, based on detailed research of over 40,000 companies, brands and products. These ratings are updated in real time from our corporate research database. These shopping guides and ethical ratings can be found in our magazine and on our website - accessible to all with our annual subscription. Campaigns:
We run campaigns on key ethical issues and are currently campaigning for a boycott against Amazon for their use of tax avoidance. We also collaborate on The Lush Prize, founded the Fair Tax Mark and Save Our Bank and are a partner of CTRLshift. Read more about our official campaigns here - https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ethicalcampaigns

Research & Consultancy:
We provide research and consultancy for campaign groups and organisations such as Amnesty International, Christian Aid, Co-op Bank, and the Guardian. Our research and analysis helps organisations understand, reach and campaign with their stakeholders to make meaningful interventions into consumer markets to drive positive social and environmental change. Find out more about our research and consultancy services here - https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ethical-consumer-research-consultancy-services

Consumer markets report:
The Ethical Consumer Markets Report has been acting as an important barometer of UK spending since 1999. The report is trusted and used by businesses, academics and the UK Government. Read the latest consumer market report here - https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/research-hub/uk-ethical-consumer-markets-report

Take a look at our full shopping guide to online retailers to see our Best Buy and Recommended brands, the highest scori...
21/11/2025

Take a look at our full shopping guide to online retailers to see our Best Buy and Recommended brands, the highest scoring of which had an overall Ethiscore of 86/100 👉 https://bit.ly/4nW8eHA

Check out the full guide via https://bit.ly/4nW8eHAFind ethical online shops so that you can shop with a clear conscienc...
19/11/2025

Check out the full guide via https://bit.ly/4nW8eHA

Find ethical online shops so that you can shop with a clear conscience. This guide is part of our Alternatives to Amazon series. All of the brands in this guide are better alternatives to using the tax avoiding giant.

In our latest guide, we rate and rank 18 online shopping websites, giving our unique Best Buy advice, recommended buys and places to avoid.

This includes:
👉product ranges of the ethical online shops
👉buying secondhand online
👉packaging
👉workers' rights, including delivery drivers

We also found that returns from online shopping are much higher than from physical shops.

In fact, roughly a third of all online purchases are sent back, rising to more than half in fashion in 2025, compared with under 10% in physical shops.

Many such items are not resold.

But the good news is that we have seen a positive growth in second-hand and rental, including by big mainstream brands.

We’ve also seen growth in community project,
The Library of Things and positive changes in workers rights.

Why boycott amazon?Ethical Consumer has been campaigning for a boycott of Amazon since 2012, particularly because of Ama...
17/11/2025

Why boycott amazon?

Ethical Consumer has been campaigning for a boycott of Amazon since 2012, particularly because of Amazon's tax avoidance.

But the list of reasons to avoid Amazon extends beyond tax, and includes its services to fossil fuel giants, workers' rights abuses, greenwashing and harmful environmental practices.

1. Amazon's tax avoidance

We estimate that Amazon's tax avoidance could have cost the UK economy around £433m in 2023.

Ethical Consumer has calculated that, in 2023 nearly half a billion pounds (£433,000,000) could have been lost to the UK public purse from the corporation tax avoidance of Amazon alone.

2. Building a monopoly

Amazon’s monopoly supports staggering inequalities: between March and September 2020, at a time when most businesses were struggling, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos saw his personal wealth increase so much that he could have given all 876,000 Amazon employees a bonus of $105,000 and be as wealthy as he was pre-pandemic.

3. Denying workers’ rights

Behind this monopoly are thousands of Amazon workers. Yet, the company has in many instances refused to respect their basic rights.

Is it possible to boycott Amazon?

Since we launched the boycott campaign ten years ago, we’ve seen resistance to Amazon grow. By boycotting the company, we are taking part in this global movement and building the pressure for Amazon – or the legislation that allows its abuses – to change.

Keep growing the movement by sharing with friends and encouraging change! More info can be find by taking a look at our website or subscribing to our free weekly newsletter: bit.ly/3RBJ7LQ

Take a look at our full shopping guide on music streaming and digital music download platforms to see our Best Buy and R...
15/11/2025

Take a look at our full shopping guide on music streaming and digital music download platforms to see our Best Buy and Recommended brands, the highest scoring of which had an overall Ethiscore of 74/100 👉 https://bit.ly/443unwj 🎶

In our latest guide on music streaming platforms, we've done an in-depth investigation into Spotify, reviewed how artist...
14/11/2025

In our latest guide on music streaming platforms, we've done an in-depth investigation into Spotify, reviewed how artists are paid by different platforms and looked into the carbon impacts of streaming music.

Conventional streaming exploits artists, with Spotify criticised for fake artists, payola, algorithmic distortion of music culture, and arms links.

The companies that scored worst for Artist Compensation were generous to their own executives. Highest paid directors at Amazon, Apple, Spotify and Black Inc (TIDAL’s owner) received $40.1m, $63.2m, $18.7m and $16.5m respectively.

Four companies scored 100/100 in our new bespoke rating on Artist Compensation, while Spotify and YouTube Music failed to score anything in the category.

Alternatives exist: Subvert has a cooperative model, so will hopefully prove more resilient against the extractive tendencies of platform capitalism.

Check out the full guide via https://bit.ly/443unwj

It’s Living Wage Week! 🎊We’re proud to be part of the movement of over 16,000 employersmaking a difference by paying the...
14/11/2025

It’s Living Wage Week! 🎊

We’re proud to be part of the movement of over 16,000 employers
making a difference by paying the real Living Wage - because
everyone deserves a decent standard of living.

Will your organisation join us?

Find out more at: www.livingwage.org.uk

TODAY IS THE DAY for our Ethical Consumer Conference at Rich Mix London! We're excited to meet with subscribers, campai...
07/11/2025

TODAY IS THE DAY for our Ethical Consumer Conference at Rich Mix London!

We're excited to meet with subscribers, campaigners and ethical organisations to engage in some great conversations on degrowth and post-growth alternatives.

Find out more about what we have planned here:
https://conference.ethicalconsumer.org/conference-agenda/

We'll also be joined today by sponsors Ethex and our partners who will host stalls and join us on the stages this afternoon - Ecotricity, Triodos Bank UK, EQ Investors, Ecology Building Society, Path Financial and Suma Wholefoods

It's the week of our annual conference and we're excited to announce the final speakers joining us on Friday at Rich Mix...
04/11/2025

It's the week of our annual conference and we're excited to announce the final speakers joining us on Friday at Rich Mix in London

For our discussions on Palestine and corporate power and Tech Monopolies, we'll be joined by:
- Dale Vince founder of Ecotricity
- Lewis Backon, from Palestine Solidarity Campaign UK
- Sami Alami, from Rift Valley Farms
- Terry Tyldesley musician and expert on music, technology
and production
- Shaun Fensom, Chair of networks.coop

Come together and join us for another day of insightful discussions and workshops, connecting with like minded people.

Buy tickets available here: https://bit.ly/4owTyPW

With thanks also to our partners and sponsors Ethex , Ecology Building Society, EQ Investors,
Path Financial, Suma Wholefoods and Triodos Bank UK

Take a look at our full shopping guide to see our Best Buy and Recommended brands, the highest scoring of which had an o...
03/11/2025

Take a look at our full shopping guide to see our Best Buy and Recommended brands, the highest scoring of which had an overall Ethiscore of 90/100 👉 https://bit.ly/3FeQDXe

Our guide to bookshops will help you find the most ethical place to buy your next page-turner.In the guide, we rate and ...
31/10/2025

Our guide to bookshops will help you find the most ethical place to buy your next page-turner.

In the guide, we rate and rank 26 leading UK bookshops and give our unique Best Buys advice, recommended brands and brands to avoid.

The guide includes alternatives to Amazon and its various book-selling brands as well as suggesting ethical online and local bookshops, the best options for ebooks and audiobooks and lots more...

Head to our guide to bookshops here: https://bit.ly/3FeQDXe

Take a look at our full shopping guide to see our Best Buy and Recommended brands, the highest scoring of which had an o...
29/10/2025

Take a look at our full shopping guide to see our Best Buy and Recommended brands, the highest scoring of which had an overall Ethiscore of 93/100 🍫 👉https://bit.ly/4hjjyLY

In our latest guide, we've reviewed and ranked 31 chocolate brands including Nestle, Cadbury, Divine and Montezuma. We'v...
23/10/2025

In our latest guide, we've reviewed and ranked 31 chocolate brands including Nestle, Cadbury, Divine and Montezuma. We've looked into significant ethical issues such as palm oil, decolonisation and colonialism, as well as recommending brands with the best ethical practices.

Here's a sneak peak at our cocoa sourcing rating 👀 Where does your favourite brand sit?

🍫 Check out the full guide: https://bit.ly/4hjjyLY

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Manchester

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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Our Story

Ethical Consumer is more than just a magazine. We are the only place where you can find transparent and reliable ethical rankings of companies and products. On our site there are detailed ethical ratings of 1000's of brands which help consumers make the right choices, help campaigners challenge corporate power and help businesses do the right thing. For over 30 years Ethical Consumer has been the lead research organisation within the consumer movement. We research the issues that matter to you so that you can easily find the products that reflect your principles. Ethical Consumer's information and analysis helps you choose the most ethical products and services whenever you need them and wherever you are. From bread to banks, use our product guides to check what to purchase and what to avoid.