Last week, The Good Shopping Guide unveiled their latest research into the UK's most ethical and unethical companies for the eighth edition of their book, producing some shocking revelations.
Sainsbury's are the only supermarket in the UK with correct accreditation from the Ethical Company Organisation, while supermarkets such as Marks and Spencer and Waitrose are at the top of the ethical shopper's list of places to go, scoring highly for their conscious efforts in nuclear power, worker's rights and ethical products. Supermarkets Iceland and Tesco score "badly" for worker's rights and their impact on the environment. Overall however, statistics show that Wal-Mart owned Asda have come bottom in most categories including GM foods, animal welfare, worker's rights, and "political donations".
Tea and coffee are often used as examples of Fairtrade products "making it" into the mainstream, becoming almost symbolic of the Fairtrade movement. While ten out of ten children recognise Ronald MacDonald, only two out of five people recognise the Fairtrade logo. Still, we've come a long way since 2000 when coffee prices slumped to a historic low worldwide. Coffee chains such as Starbucks raked in the profits at the cost of the coffee beans, which plummeted. The evidence was in the stock markets that year.
With chains such as Starbucks' leading the way for corporate gain, the balance between consumers and the developing world could never be tipped; keeping the poor from working their way out of poverty. An estimated 20 million households rely on coffee crops as their income, meaning the knock-on effect on coffee farmers was drastic, many of the farmers had to sell livestock and pull children out of school just to get by.
Now, after incessant campaigning by charities such as Oxfam, Starbucks carries the Fairtrade logo and other chains such as Costa and (even MacDonald's ) proudly display their Rainforest Alliance logo on their recycled, cardboard take away cups.
Of course as Britons, we must mention tea. Over 80 percent of us drink it, and we love it. But how many of us can say we know our Tetley's from our Betty's? According to The Good Shopping Guide, Nescafe, PG Tips and Twinings rate the worst for the environment and animal welfare. Twining's is even "bottom rated" for its stance on genetically modified foods. The companies which come recommended and at the top for everything from public record criticisms, to fair trade and armaments are Yorkshire Tea (84 percent), CafeDirect (88), and Clipper (also 88 percent).
While the evidence goes to show that many of the multi-national corporations are finally taking a stance on their carbon footprint, human rights and ethically sourced products, it raises a very serious question - to save the planet, is it better to buy a pack of fairly traded coffee beans from overseas which enables a farmer to work their way out of poverty but results in more packaging and arrives by aircraft, emitting more CO2 into the atmosphere?
The answer is, there is no simple answer. As a consumer, it is most important to make that decision yourself, and stick with companies who's ethical stance is the same as, or reflects, yours. A stranger said to me today, "I save on plastic bags, and that's my bit done for the planet. After all, the way I see it is, I've barely contributed to global warning!" Then she sauntered off.
If we all thought like this, who's left to make a difference?
'The Good Shopping Guide' is available to buy now.
