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.

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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, Cooking Oil, Olive Oil

The latest magazine includes guides to:

  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Coffee Shops

Plus: guides to Cooking Oil and Olive Oil
 

Plus:

  • score tables rating and comparing the brands
  • Best Buy recommendations
  • Israel-Palestine rating for all companies in the guides
  • which brands have the most ethical coffee sourcing policy?
  • the carbon footprint of coffee
  • the wages and conditions of tea workers
  • plastic in tea bags
  • how do the ethical certifications for tea and coffee compare?
  • the disposable cup problem in coffee shops
  • what's the best packaging for cooking oils?
  • GM oils and pesticide use
     

Features

  • Amazon's role in Israel-Palestine
  • the role of community ownership in Challenging Corporate Power

Issue 218 (Jan/Feb 2026) now in print and online.

Read the latest issue 

  • Ethical Coffee & Coffee Beans

    Image: ground coffee beans
    Our guide will help you find a sustainable and ethical coffee brand.  We rank the ethics of 30 brands of ground coffee, coffee beans, instant coffee and coffee pods, give our unique Best Buy recommendations and suggest which brands to avoid. 
    Read more

  • Coffee Shops

    Coffee machine making two cups of coffee
    Finding an ethical and sustainable coffee shop. We rank the ethical and environmental record of 14 coffee shop chains. We look at big names like Costa and Starbucks to see if they are worthy of your custom. And if you are able to choose where you go, which is best?
    Read more

More from Ethical Consumer

Woman with headphones on sitting on a sofa, listening to streamed music

Music Streaming

Looking for ethical alternatives to Spotify, Amazon, and YouTube?  Our guide rates and ranks 13 music streaming services and digital music download platforms, offering Best Buys advice, recommended brands, and brands to avoid. Discover the best options for ethical music consumption. 

Read more
Plate of mince pies

Mince pies

Our guide to mince pies ranks 18 brands, from the biggest names in the market to supermarket own-brands and independent brands. Organic? Palm oil free? Vegan? There's plenty for an ethical consumer to consider when choosing which mince pies to buy.

Read more
mobile phone

Ethical Mobile Phones

Finding an ethical mobile phone. Ethical and environmental rankings of 21 mobile phones with recommended buys and what to avoid. In this guide to ethical mobile phones we take a look at the ethics of tech companies, from multinational brands like Apple and Samsung to smaller brands doing things differently in the mobile phone industry like Fairphone.

Read more
Mini shopping cart with parcel in it. Words shopping without Amazon, lots of options!

Ethical alternatives to Amazon

Amazon is well-known for its tax avoidance and workers’ rights abuses. People are also becoming increasingly aware of its connections with genocide in Gaza and environmentally-damaging practices. If you are looking to reduce your use of Amazon, we've got your covered. We share our favourite ethical alternatives to Amazon – including the most ethical and eco-friendly places to shop.

Read more