Retailers rapped in fair trade survey
Consumers urged to consider the ethical element of shopping
June 17 2002
New research ‘names and shames’ retailers who do not have an ethical code of conduct for their overseas suppliers.
The newly published book Ethical Shopping urges shoppers to use their spending power to support retailers who have fair trading policies in place.
The authors are Dr William Young of Leeds University’s Environment School, and Professor Richard Welford, a consultant in business ethics at Huddersfield University. To compile the study, retailers and banks were asked for information about their fair trade and ethical policies and were then given a ranking between one and five stars from the information they provided.
The study showed that 89 percent of all retailers with their own-brand products produced in developing countries are below the two star category. This means that the majority of the retailers do not have a code of conduct, are in the process of developing one or have one but without independent assurance of implementation.
While no company scores five stars, Body Shop, the Co-op, and Traidcrafts scored four and B&Q three. Ikea, Benetton, Goldsmith Jewellers, Laura Ashley and Habitat scored only half a star.
Allied Carpets, which was given no star, was penalised for having no code of contact while being active in a market where children in India, Pakistan and Nepal are paid a pittance to make hand-tufted carpets. The retailer points out that it buys hand-tufted carpets through an importer certified by the Rugmark fair wages charity.
The authors say: “Many of the products we consume are, quite simply, being subsidised by the poor. Child labour, slavery and appalling working conditions exist so that products can be produced at low cost to fill the shelves of our shops.”
