// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the ethical consumer say? "I'm shopping by conscience.
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
[edit]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] In 2012 the organisation started to collaborate with Lush, creating the Lush Prize, a £250,000 biennial fund that awards innovators working to find solutions to end animal testing.[7]
Company research and ratings
[edit]Ethical Consumer researches the social, ethical and environmental records of companies,[1][8] using media reporting, NGO reports, corporate communications and primary research. They provide companies that they deem to have good ethical credentials with a best buy label.[9][10]
| 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 |
| ISSN | 0955-8608 |
Consumer publishing
[edit]It publishes a bi-monthly print magazine, Ethical Consumer Magazine, sold via subscription, at shoppes and newsstands.
It has a consumer website which is partly subscription based, which includes:
- around 100 shopping guides with analysis of company and product ethics[1][11]
- several thousand company profiles, which include company ownership structures, brands, and overall ethical scores
- UK consumer boycotts list; some of the causes it supports are more contentious, such as the BDS movement[12]
- sections on ethical issues such as palm oil
- feature articles categorised by sector including: Energy, Fashion & Clothing, Food & Drink, Home & Garden, Health & Beauty, Money, Retailers, Technology and Transport
It also produces the annual UK Ethical Markets Report.[13]
Campaigning
[edit]Ethical Consumer runs consumer oriented campaigns, including a boycott against Amazon for its use of tax avoidance.[14][15][16][17] It has also campaigned for better working conditions, on behalf of migrant agricultural workers, based in Spain.[18]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Toynbee, Polly (18 December 1996). "Why the green shopper is not being properly served". The Independent. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
- ↑ "How can you shop with a conscience?". BBC News. 5 October 1999. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ↑ Barley, Shanta (14 September 2010). "Vote for your unsung green hero". The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
- ↑ Hunt, Tim (June 2010). "Workers of the world, co-operate!". RedPepper. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
- ↑ 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 2024-03-30.
- ↑ "Annual Review July 2023" (PDF). Ethical Consumer. 26 July 2023. p. 6. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ↑ May, Amanda (22 November 2022). "3D printed human tissue project among Lush Prize winners for animal testing alternatives". Cosmetics Business. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
- ↑ Hill, Simon. "How to Buy Ethical and Eco-Friendly Electronics". Wired. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
- ↑ "Stiebel Eltron Secures Ethical Consumer Best Buy Label" (Press release). Bromborough, Wirral: Stiebel Eltron. Retrieved 2026-05-17 – via Process and Control Today.
- ↑ "Triodos Bank UK Recognised as Ethical 'Best Buy' for Investment Funds and Stocks & Shares ISAs". Fintech Finance. 6 June 2025. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
- ↑ "From loo rolls to fashion: how to spend your cash more ethically". The Guardian. 15 August 2020.
- ↑ Halbfinger, David M.; Wines, Michael; Erlanger, Steven (27 July 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.
- ↑ Butler, Sarah (2 April 2024). "Ethical shopping on the rise in UK despite cost of living crisis". The Guardian. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
- ↑ Thomas, Daniel (13 October 2020). "Amazon accused of Covid failings as Prime Day begins". BBC News.
- ↑ Jones, Rupert (30 November 2013). "Alternatives to Amazon: MPs spread seasonal boycott message". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ↑ Brignall, Miles (13 October 2020). "UK shoppers urged to shun Amazon Prime Day to support small businesses". The Guardian.
- ↑ Allen, Katie (19 December 2012). "'Boycott Amazon' campaign launched". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ↑ Carlile, Clare (27 April 2020). "The plight of Spain's migrant workers". New Internationalist. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
External links
[edit]- 1989 establishments in the United Kingdom
- Anti-corporate activism
- Bi-monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom
- Business ethics organizations
- Consumer magazines
- Contemporary philosophical literature
- Co-operatives in England
- Ethical consumerism
- Ethics journals
- Magazines established in 1989
- Magazines published in Manchester
- Non-profit publishers
- Consumer organisations in the United Kingdom
- Research organisations in the United Kingdom
- Social responsibility organizations