Ethics and Fairt Trade, Consumer Behaviour

854 Words4 Pages
Fair Trade can be described as “a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect” …that is looking for obtaining global market share by providing Third World producers with sustainable development opportunities. (FINE, 2001). Fair Trade has been helping and contributing to several projects across developing countries, helping local communities to develop and benefit from better practices and salaries. Accordingly, this system operated very well toward the ethical consumers. Ethical consumerism and the concept of ethical consumers have evolved in 1980s. Characteristics of ethical consumer include support for producers as well as environmental sustainability. Thus rise of the ‘ethical consumer’ and ‘ethical shopping’ via recycling and boycotts over the past decade displays concern for sustainable consumption and social responsibility. Consumers, as a concerned party, can position their choice and exercise purchaser power to buy the products that were made with the least harm to the environment and people. In order to gain understanding about consumer awareness towards ethics, one may focus on Kant (1788) ideas ; he explains that ethics is based on individuals reasons such as INTENTION, and DUTY. Intention of people from the North (developed economies) to help people from the South (developing economies). Ethical Consumerism closely correlates to demographics, cultural capital and most importantly social class, which is determined by income. The link between social class and ethical consumption, attributes ethical behavior to middle class, especially in the Western countries. People with low disposable income are less likely to spend on ethical products, as they are more expensive. Thus, Fair trade products can be seen as Luxury products. However, it can be argued that people from lower class can also be concerned with fair trade and may want to

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