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: Coffee, Tea, Coffee Shops, Coffee Machines

The latest magazine includes guides rating:

  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Coffee Shops
  • Coffee Machines

Plus:

  • score tables rating and comparing the brands
  • Best Buy recommendations
  • Fairtrade vs Rainforest Alliance vs Organic
  • Poverty wages on Indian and Kenyan tea plantations
  • which teabags are plastic-free?
  • the carbon footprint of coffee shops and a cup of coffee
  • the plant milk surcharge and the coffee cup problem
  • lower carbon ways to make coffee
  • what's wrong with coffee pod machines?

Feature article on:

  • how sceptical should we be of corporate 'carbon neutral' and 'net zero' claims?

Issue 196 (May/June 2022) now in print and online.

Read the latest issue 

  • Coffee

    Image: ground coffee beans
    Finding an ethical and environmental coffee brand. Ranking the ethics of 45 brands of ground coffee, coffee beans and instant coffee. We also look at coffee and climate change, coffee packaging, ethical claims like 'grown by women', shine a spotlight on the ethics of Orang Utan and give our recommended buys.
    Read more

  • Tea

    Image: Tea
    Finding an ethical and eco-friendly sustainable tea. Ranking the ethical and environmental record of 45 tea brands. We look at fairtrade and organic certification schemes, workers' rights, plastic in teabags, shine a spotlight on the ethics of Tata (Tetley and Teapigs) and give our recommended buys.
    Read more

More from Ethical Consumer

Ethical Current Accounts

Ethical Bank Accounts

Is there an ethical bank? Rating the ethical and environmental record of 32 UK current accounts, with recommended buys.  We also look at app-based banking, which banks own which brands, fossil fuel investments, tax avoidance, and how to switch accounts.

Read more
bookshop

Ethical Bookshops

Guide to 27 leading UK bookshops, with best buys. Including alternatives to Amazon and its various book-selling brands. We also look at the best options for ebooks and audio books, sustainability, buying second hand books, book swapping and using libraries. 

Read more
Electricity

Ethical Energy Suppliers

We investigate, score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 17 electricity and gas suppliers. We look at the fuels that generate a supplier's electricity, green tariffs, renewable generation, biogas and 'vegan' energy, smart meters, energy prices and fuel poverty, UK renewables targets and give our recommended buys.

Read more
Woman and man sitting in a studio in outdoor clothing with tent behind

Outdoor clothing shops

Finding ethical and eco friendly outdoor clothing and sports shops. We rank the ethical and environmental record of 11 brands of outdoor clothing and equipment shops. We look at their policies on synthetic materials and toxic chemicals, animal rights and workers' rights. We also look at own-brand labels, and shine a spotlight on Sports Direct.

Read more
Image: orangutans

Palm Oil

Consumers increasingly want to avoid palm oil where possible, but it's a tricky task as it's used in so many products - more than 50% of packaged supermarket products from margarine and oven chips to soaps and detergents.

Read more
Image made up of three images which are dry land, green plants and ocean

Climate gap report

We are not on track to meet international emissions reduction targets. So what is the gap between where we as consumers are and where we need to be? And what action must we take to address it? Rob Harrison and Josie Wexler introduce a new report from Ethical Consumer to help identify how consumers, governments and companies can work together to help fix the climate crisis.

Read more