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: Meat Substitutes, Plant Milk, Vegan Cheese, Beans & Pulses

The latest magazine includes shopping guides rating:

  • Meat-free alternatives 
  • Plant Milk 
  • Vegan Cheese
  • Beans & pulses

Plus:

  • score tables rating and comparing the brands
  • Best Buy recommendations
  • are meat free products UPFs?
  • which meat free, vegan cheese and plant milk brands are owned by meat and dairy companies
  • is the soya in meat free and plant milk brands linked to deforestation?
  • which vegan cheeses score best
  • which tins of beans & pulses are lined with toxic BPA

Feature - modern slavery in Taiwan

Issue 212 (Jan/Feb 2025) now in print and online.

Read the latest issue 

  • Vegan and Meat Alternative Foods

    Image: vegetarian
    We look at vegan brands of burgers, sausages and other meat substitutes, ownership by big meat producers, meat free ingredients, soya and deforestation, and more. With ethical & environmental rankings of 36 meat alternative brands including tofu, plus recommended buys. 
    Read more

  • Vegan cheese

    image: VEGAN CHEESE TASTE test in different coatings
    Is vegan cheese better for the environment and more ethical? We look at which vegan cheese brands are made by big dairy companies, what vegan cheese is made of, and rate 17 vegan cheese brands, with Best Buys and what to avoid.
    Read more

More from Ethical Consumer

Image: supermarket aisle reflects lots of food products

Ethical Supermarkets

Which is the most ethical UK supermarket? Ethical and environmental rankings for 12 supermarkets, with best buys and which to avoid. Investigating policies from animal welfare to workers' rights, palm oil, food waste, packaging, and tax. We also look at what action supermarkets are taking to reduce their climate impact. Plus tips on how to shop ethically if using supermarkets. 

Read more
bookshop

Ethical Bookshops

Guide to 34 leading UK bookshops, with best buys. Includes alternatives to Amazon and its various book-selling brands and how to find ethical online and local bookshops. We also look at the best options for ebooks and audio books, sustainability, buying secondhand books, and how to support independent authors, publishers and bookshops.

Read more
Image: chocolate

Ethical Chocolate

Find ethical, sustainable and fair trade chocolate: ratings for 84 brands of bars of chocolate and chocolate snacks, with recommended brands and ones to avoid. Is all fair trade chocolate equally fair? What are chocolate brands doing about child labour? We look at the big ethical issues including colonialism in the cocoa sector, palm oil and deforestation, child labour, cocoa certification, as well as who makes vegan chocolate, and how to find ethical and responsibly-sourced chocolate to suit your budget.

Read more
Cardboard box with non perishable groceries inside

Ethical Food Supermarkets

Find ethical eco supermarkets, with ratings for 15 brands of alternatives to traditional supermarkets. These ethical food shops sell a wide range of vegan, vegetarian, organic and fairtrade food, along with household items, toiletries and more. We rate and review them on ethical issues like packaging, palm oil, workers' rights and animal welfare. We give Best Buys and Recommended brands to choose.

Read more