Ethical Branding and Why Your Groceries Are Unethical

The ethics of shopping have become a huge concern for many consumers. Shopping takes a whole lot longer when you have to read the ingredients, plus where it is made, what it is processed with, before you search the net for a consumer report. You spend more money on the products that do not test on animals, products that come from local independents, and products that come from more ethical companies. You are on your way to being a mor ethical consumer. But it's still not enough.

Cotton and peanuts are the most highly pesticided crops in the world. Chinese plastics can be harmful. America exports just as many potatoes as it imports. So there are some issues there with some of the products we often buy. The companies disclose their information, and much of this information is readily available with a quick search. A recent study of sunscreens and beauty products has found outlandish amounts of harmful metals, chemicals, and shady processes are involved. Burt's Bees, widely available and popular for their "99.82% Natural" products, really gets a lot out of that remaining percent. Their products have been ranked among the highest in harmful and cancer-causing ingredients. These products are not regulated; beauty products do not fall under the Food & Drug Administration's jurisdiction.

Will there come a time when a product or service will arrive with a "100% Ethical" stamp of approval on it? When a product is made completely responsibly (none come to mind at the moment) or the product passes a certain ethical standard, will consumers then stop feeling guilty over their purchases? Guilt and forced compromise tend to fatigue average consumers. But what choice do we have?

Who can afford to consume more ethical products that are grown or produced without hormones, pesticides, or in sweatshops? Which companies can claim to have certain ethical standards when it comes to their product? I guarantee that the company who produces that super-ethical product will do very, very well.

Let's examine how a loaf of bread might become ethical. Remember, ethics are in the eye of the beholder. So let's start with the source. The baker should gather wheat from local farms that are certified organic or which use no pesticides or growth enhancing chemicals. The ingredients have to be ultra-fresh. The dough should be kneaded by hand to ensure that the product was not processed on equipment with nuts or soy. The baker or his/her employees must be treated extremely fairly and paid a reasonable wage with benefits. The loaf should be baked on highly efficient equipment that consumes the minimum of fossil fuels. The bread is packaged in biodegradable paper or corn-based plastic. Any carbon footprint generated by the bakery should be offset with a generous contribution by the baker to various green causes, based on the overall consumption of fossil fuels and how much pollution is generated by the bakery itself. Any excess water from breadmaking should be retained and used in a sustainable garden of edible vegetables nearby. The baker can then stamp the package with a "100% Ethical" stamp. And the consumer can buy that loaf of bread at a far greater expense. In today's market, let's estimate the cost around $7.49, plus tip, for the basic model.

I don't know about you, but I can't swing it. Maybe that's the kind of bread I would give as a gift to someone I really love. But it's not what I'm making my tuna sandwich on, let's face it. I could bake my own bread, but let's be real, here.

When you think about everyday ethics, begin at the grocery store. We talk a lot about ethical businesses, ethical commutes, ethical advertising, ethical and socially responsible politicians, etc. There are many everyday opportunities to think ethically. Being a responsible consumer is a step on the way to living the right life, in ethical balance. But how is it possible with rising costs? Ethics will be the first thing taken off the shopping list. Ethically speaking, you are what you eat. What'll it be?