Working with Ethical Consumer

Background to Ethical Consumer

Ethical Consumer Research Association (ECRA) is the UK’s longest running alternative consumer organisation. It was founded in Manchester in 1988 as a not-for-profit workers’ co-operative to provide ‘information on the companies behind the brand names’ and to promote the ethical use of consumer power.

The organisation became a multi-stakeholder co-operative with both worker members and investor members in 2009. Both classes of member are involved in decision-making and the election of Directors onto the Board.

ECRA’s portfolio of products and services are designed to encourage purchasers to take environmental and social issues into account in the market place. They include:

• Ethical Consumer – a bi-monthly magazine
• Our website with over 100 ethical shopping guides
• Our research website with research-focused articles and a corporate research database, and ethical company screening services  
• Consultancy research services for NGOs and selected companies

Video: Amy Shakeshaft shares her experience of volunteering at Ethical Consumer

Find out more about what Ethical Consumer does

As well as exploring the ethical shopping guides and in-depth articles on our website, you could sign up to our weekly email newsletter to receive the latest news, articles and updates. 

When you sign up to the newsletter you will receive a free digital copy of the magazine.

Or check out our videos on YouTube, where we share information from our shopping guides e.g. which chocolate brands to avoid and why, or the latest boycott information e.g. how to avoid Amazon when buying books.

We also work with other organisations on key campaigns, such as Lush with their Spring Prize on regenerative social and natural environments, and the Lush Prize for non-animal testing.