Nursing Science
Discussion Paper Ethical Consumerism
Introduction
1. It 's received wisdom in the fashion industry that the market for 'ethical ' fashion is booming. But what do we mean by 'ethical consumerism ', and does this trend mean that the fashion industry as a whole is getting more ethical? In this discussion paper we 'll examine these questions from two sides: demand and supply. First we 'll look at the extent to which there really is a demand for ethical clothing from consumers. Next we 'll look at what the market is doing to satisfy that demand. Finally, we 'll examine whether the market 's response to consumer demand is leading to benefits for workers in the supply chain.
2. The term 'ethical ' in fashion encompasses a broad range of concerns. Workers ' rights, the origin and transport of a product, types of trading relationships, chemicals used in production and processing, and other social and environmental effects of a product on humans, animals and the natural environment can all affect how ethical 1 a product is perceived to be. It 's hard to divide consumers and products into 'ethical ' and 'non-ethical ', when the term applies to such diverse and sometimes mutually exclusive criteria. The ethical consumer must make judgements about which of these issues are most important, accepting, for example, that a fair trade product will have been transported thousands of miles to reach them. Much research on ethical consumerism uses 'ethical ' as a catch-all term. This discussion paper uses this broad definition of ethical.
3. A variety of initiatives are emerging to meet the demand from consumers for ethical products and services. These range from certification bodies such as the Soil Association and Fairtrade Foundation to multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) in the UK. Set up in response to consumer pressure, the ETI aims to develop ethical trading best practice for high street brands and retailers.
Introduction
1. It 's received wisdom in the fashion industry that the market for 'ethical ' fashion is booming. But what do we mean by 'ethical consumerism ', and does this trend mean that the fashion industry as a whole is getting more ethical? In this discussion paper we 'll examine these questions from two sides: demand and supply. First we 'll look at the extent to which there really is a demand for ethical clothing from consumers. Next we 'll look at what the market is doing to satisfy that demand. Finally, we 'll examine whether the market 's response to consumer demand is leading to benefits for workers in the supply chain.
2. The term 'ethical ' in fashion encompasses a broad range of concerns. Workers ' rights, the origin and transport of a product, types of trading relationships, chemicals used in production and processing, and other social and environmental effects of a product on humans, animals and the natural environment can all affect how ethical 1 a product is perceived to be. It 's hard to divide consumers and products into 'ethical ' and 'non-ethical ', when the term applies to such diverse and sometimes mutually exclusive criteria. The ethical consumer must make judgements about which of these issues are most important, accepting, for example, that a fair trade product will have been transported thousands of miles to reach them. Much research on ethical consumerism uses 'ethical ' as a catch-all term. This discussion paper uses this broad definition of ethical.
3. A variety of initiatives are emerging to meet the demand from consumers for ethical products and services. These range from certification bodies such as the Soil Association and Fairtrade Foundation to multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) in the UK. Set up in response to consumer pressure, the ETI aims to develop ethical trading best practice for high street brands and retailers.
References: Friedman, M. (2002) Capitalism and Freedom. Chicago: University of Chicago Press Grande, C (2007) 'Ethical consumption makes mark on branding ', Financial Times, February 20th [online] Available at: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/d54c45ec-c086-11db-995a-000b5df10621.html (Accessed 25/02/08) Images (2006) There is no such thing as a Cheap Garment Marks & Spencer (2008) Plan A: Year 1 Review. Document on file. Mcrae, S. (2008). 'Clothing workers let down by retailers ', Guardian, 1st February. [online] Available at http://www.guardian.co.uk/letters/story/0,,2250384,00.html (Accessed 25/02/08) Mendick, R Porritt, J (2006) Capitalism: as if the world matters, London: Earthscan Roberts, L