Ethical Consumer

Ethical Consumer

Join thousands of others and become an ethical consumer today.

Join thousands of others and become an ethical consumer today.

Learn how to use your spending power to help change the world for the better.

Why be an ethical consumer? How to be an ethical consumer

We are an independent, not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder co-operative with open membership.

At the heart of the ethical consumer movement, since 1989.

We are an independent, not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder co-operative with open membership, based in Manchester.

We provide all the tools and resources you need to make choices at the checkout simple, informed and effective.

Discover more about us

Includes guides to: Dairy Milk, Butter & Spreads, Supermarkets, Ethical Food Shops

The latest magazine includes shopping guides rating:

  • Dairy Milk 
  • Butter & Spreads 
  • Supermarkets
  • Ethical Food Shops

Plus:

  • score tables rating and comparing the brands
  • Best Buy recommendations
  • what the life of a dairy cow is really like
  • how to buy better milk
  • ethical comparison of vegan and dairy spreads
  • which supermarket does best for ethics?
  • the ethical alternatives to mainstream supermarkets

Feature on:

  • B Corps - necessary but not sufficient

Issue 210 (Sept/Oct 2024) now in print and online.

Read the latest issue 

  • Ethical milk brands

    Image: milk
    In this guide we investigate, score, and rank 32 dairy milk brands on ethical and environmental issues and ask if there is any ethical milk. We look at animal welfare, pollution, packaging, organic milk, investigate if dairy milk can be sustainable or cruelty free, and give our recommendations.
    Read more

  • Butter & Spreads

    Image: butter
    Find ethical butters, vegan butter and margarine, and organic butter. This guide reviews 51 brands of butter, margarine and spreads including dairy free butter and margarine.  We investigate palm oil, animal rights, packaging and climate actions being taking by butter brands, shine a spotlight on Kerrygold, and give our recommended buys.
    Read more

More from Ethical Consumer

Image: supermarket aisle reflects lots of food products

Ethical Supermarkets

Which is the most ethical UK supermarket? Ethical and environmental rankings for 12 supermarkets, with best buys and which to avoid. Investigating policies from animal welfare to workers' rights, palm oil, food waste, packaging, and tax. We also look at what action supermarkets are taking to reduce their climate impact. Plus tips on how to shop ethically if using supermarkets. 

Read more
Wall tubs of loose dried food products in refill shop

Ethical Food Supermarkets

Find ethical eco supermarkets, with ratings for 15 brands of alternatives to traditional supermarkets. These ethical food shops sell a wide range of vegan, vegetarian, organic and fairtrade food, along with household items, toiletries and more. We rate and review them on ethical issues like packaging, palm oil, workers' rights and animal welfare. We give Best Buys and Recommended brands to choose.

Read more
Image: Washing powder

Laundry Detergents

Find the best eco-friendly and sustainable laundry detergents, with ratings of 34 brands With ethical scores looking for vegan and cruelty free brands, use of toxic chemicals, palm oil and plastic packaging, we rate 34 brands to find the most environmentally friendly and sustainable laundry cleaners. We compare washing powders, liquids, sheets and capsules to find the most eco friendly. The ethical shopping guide also highlights the ethics of Unilever, includes brands like Ecover and Method, and gives our recommended buys.

Read more
Image: Shop floor on ethical clothing guide

High Street Clothes Shops

In this guide, we investigate, score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 52 high street brands. We also look at the problem with fast fashion, workers' rights, shine a light on the ethics of Boohoo, Shein, and Temu, look at sustainable fabrics, delve into greenwashing, and give some recommended buys.

Read more
Image: chocolate

Ethical Chocolate

Find ethical, sustainable and fair trade chocolate: ratings for 84 brands of bars of chocolate and chocolate snacks, with recommended brands and ones to avoid. Is all fair trade chocolate equally fair? What are chocolate brands doing about child labour? We look at the big ethical issues including colonialism in the cocoa sector, palm oil and deforestation, child labour, cocoa certification, as well as who makes vegan chocolate, and how to find ethical and responsibly-sourced chocolate to suit your budget.

Read more
Multi coloured glasses in washing up bowl

Washing-up Liquid

Finding an ethical, eco-friendly, cruelty free or vegan washing-up liquid. Ranking the ethical and environmental record of 24 washing-up brands. We look at refills, concentrates, organic detergents, palm oil, animal testing, toxic chemicals, highlight the ethics of Fairy, and give our recommended buys.

Read more
bookshop

Ethical Bookshops

Guide to 34 leading UK bookshops, with best buys. Includes alternatives to Amazon and its various book-selling brands and how to find ethical online and local bookshops. We also look at the best options for ebooks and audio books, sustainability, buying secondhand books, and how to support independent authors, publishers and bookshops.

Read more
Image: Amazon

Boycott Amazon

We have called a boycott of Amazon over its outrageous tax avoidance since 2012. The list of accusations against Amazon is long, from offering its services to fossil fuel giants to firing activist workers.

Read more