£36bn on Ethical Spending is a Good Place to Start!
Ethical spending is up by a staggering 58% according to reports from the Co-operative bank over the last decade. A decade ago the ethical market measured just £13.5bn but has expanded to £36bn by December 2010! (Co-operative Banks annual ethical consumerism report Dec. 2010)
Although the ethical sector remains a small piece of the total consumption pie, some areas such as Fairtrade are changing the way in which we shop. The Fairtrade label has become a common sight in all supermarkets and covers a diverse range of products from the expected coffee to chocolate products and cotton. In 1999 the Fairtrade label accounted for £22m in sales but has grown to an amazing £635m and is expected to break £1bn this year.
Ethical spending on our homes has also increased from £1.4bn in 1999 to £7bn by December 2010. This covers everything from rechargeable batteries to energy efficient boilers and reflects the growth in consumer’s willingness to look at the environmental impact of their purchase.
Chief Executive of the Co-Operative Financial Services is reserved in his conclusion however, stating “there is still a long way to go if we are all going to adopt the low-carbon lifestyle needed to avoid cataclysmic climate change”
Perhaps £36bn is a drop in the ocean, but we agree that it is a good place to start and will keep driving forward to drive home the ethical message. After all, the report suggests that over the past year half of the adults in the UK have made a purchase based “primarily on ethical grounds”. We think that is something to celebrate!
Gecco Interiors Limited is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more
