WHOLE FOODS MARKET REALLY IS THE MOST ETHICAL SUPERMARKET

Whole Foods Market is opening its first British store in London on Wednesday 6 June 2007.

Whole Foods scores well above mainstream supermarkets such as ASDA, Tesco and Sainsburys. It is also doing better than Waitrose and Marks & Spencer – supermarkets which have branded themselves 'ethical'. It scores 7.5 out of 20 on Ethical Consumer’s ethiscore rating system* – better than any mainstream supermarket. Mary Rayner, a researcher at Ethical Consumer, says: “It will be interesting to see whether Whole Foods’ popularity in the US replicates over here. If so, maybe it will put pressure on other supermarkets to improve their ethics.”

The company sells natural and organic products, and supports sustainable, local agriculture. It has gained support from the Soil Association and does indeed take a forthright stand on natural and organic foods.

While vegetarians might ideally want to avoid shops selling any animal produce, all Whole Foods meat and fish products are free range and thus a step up from other supermarkets.

Shoppers that live too far from Kensington to get their groceries from Whole Foods might want to opt for another grocery provider, such as a local organic box scheme or independent wholefood shop.

Ethical Consumer recommends Marks & Spencer (6.5) and Waitrose (4) for the larger supermarkets. The Co-op (6) is the best among the smaller stores.

* Ethiscores correct at 5th June 2007. For daily updated scores see our online shopping guide www.ethiscore.org.

Ethical Consumer...

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maintains the most comprehensive database of corporate ethics in the world - tracking over 30,000 companies, compiled over 20 years, updated daily by dedicated researchers

employs a unique ethical scoring system - ethiscore - constantly informed by the leading edge of campaign groups

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Ethical Consumer's unique ethiscore system rates companies on their social, ethical and environmental performance. Companies are rated in over twenty categories across four main headings - Environment, Human rights, Animal rights, Politics. Products are then rated for their positive ethical and sustainability features.