Despite the current economic downturn it seems those of us who believe in the virtues of fair trade and organic goods have not drifted from our values or changed our good habits. A recent eco shopping report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers found that we are in fact spending more on Fairtrade and organic clothes and Fairtrade food (up 17 and 20 per cent respectively in last 3 years). There has been no indication from retailers of slumping organic sales - in fact quite the opposite. The Soil Association forecast that organic sales will be up 10 percent this year.According to MoneyExpert.com a Virgin Money study found ‘80 per cent of green shoppers remain committed to ethical purchases, even though it means adding an estimated £12 to the monthly food bill.' These figures highlight that on the whole we are prepared to make sacrifices for the sake of the green movement.
With more people interested in the sustainability agenda and plenty of coverage in the media companies are pushing their green credentials more than ever. If the cost of carbon and other non-eco friendly activities are one day incorporated into the cost of products we may just end up paying less to support our eco/health conscious lifestyles.
Would it be terribly naïve of me to believe local and organic products could turn the economy around?
