EPA-Studienkonferenz 2013: Critical consumption in European countries
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Critical (Ethical) consumption
„… is defined as personal allocation of funds, including consumption and investment, where choice has been informed by particular issues – be it human rights, social justice, the environment or animal welfare“
1 Critical consumerism
→“critical”: “choice”
→choosing a product instead of another/ consuming that way or another will have positive influences (in the long run)
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Logic of critical consumerism
Information Political education framework, decisions
FAIR
Nachfrage Angebot
2 history
→Vietnam War: which companies do not produce weapons →1969: CEP -Council on Economic Priorities →1986 first guide to critical consumption “shopping for a better world” (CEP) →Since then critical consumerism spread out in Europe: in UK since 1992, in Germany 1995, France 1996, Italy 80s
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Actions pro – or against
→Actions against (boycott) →Actions pro →Boycott often part of critical/ethical consumerism, e.g. no Coca-Cola but organic/regional beverages
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3 ENVIRONMENT Climate change, pollution, natural ressources, transport nuclear power…
Life style Human rights, Values worker‘s rights Responsibility Ethics Justice ANIMALS Animal testing, SUSTAINABILITY factory farming Organic, „KONSUM-THEMEN“ Fairtrade
Finance, ethos CSR
Critical (ethical) consumption in Europe – trends…
4 Europeans‘ environmental awareness
5 6 Environmental awareness Germany (2010)
→Environmental protection is defined as top 2 political priority (35%) – after economical development related to financial crisis →+20% since 2010 →High environmental awareness vs. Behaviour: discrepancy in daily life
Environmental awareness Germany (2010)
Progress in some areas: - 20 %: Ökostrom (2010: 8%) - 12% investment in renewable energies (+66%) - 9% compensation of CO2-emmissions (+66%)
7 Environmental awareness Germany (2010)
Negative trends: -Willingness to buy energy efficient fridges etc.: from 65% to 52% -To save energy by switching of light etc: from 83% to 74%
In daily life not always easy to implement environmental awareness
Fair Trade in Europe
→ Fair Trade in Europe: Krier-Study 2005 → Umsatz in 25 Ländern: 660 Millionen → Since then increasing figures in all countries
Interesting result: No correlation between Fair Trade and GDP/capita or level of education, e.g. → UK: rank 12 in GDP, but rank 3 in ethical consumption/capita → Switzerland: 12.secondary education, 1.fair trade/ capita
8 Fairtrade 2011 in selected countries (comparison: 2010)
- Austria: 100.000.000€ (+15%) - Belgium: 77.000.000€(+7%) - Finland: 102.673.112€ (+10%) - France: 315.416.709€(+4%) - Germany: 400.544.747€ (+18%) - Italy: 57.542.552€(+16%) - Spain: 20.026.046€(+39%) - Switzerland: 264.754.487€ (+20%)
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Fair Trade – general trends
→ Fairtrade (Fairtrade label) is growing → EFTA (European Fairtrade Asscociation) is becoming weaker since most of European ATOs face difficult times → Supermarkets > price pressure → Fair trade importers are too expensive for supermarkets → Most European ATOs are thinking of quitting the label → Fair trade movement – ATOs – labels: the example of Scandinavia shows: all three player are important
9 A closer look into some European countries
→Fair Trade →Environmental awareness →Focus, traditions, „specialities“ → initiaitves, examples
United Kingdom: Fair Trade
→Fair Trade: Since 10 years great dynamic →Begun in churches but soon supermarkets took over →Colonial history > understanding →Organic instead not important: „a good feeling is enough“
10 The view on the streets… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIoXP5lgaBM
Ethical Consumerism Report (2010)
11 Ethical Consumerism report UK 2010
Ethical Consumerism report UK 2010
12 Ethical Consumerism report UK 2010
Ethical Consumerism report UK 2010
13 Ethical Consumerism report UK 2010
UK: initiatives – ECRA www.ethicalconsumer.org
14 UK: Boycotts
UK: initiatives
15 UK: campaings
www.traidcraft.co.uk/get_involved/campaign/why_campaign
Switzerland
→Long time Europeans leading country fairtrade/capita →Soon the two big supermarkets coop and Migros (85% market share) decided for fairtrade: direct way to the consumer →Satisfaction > stagnation – limits reached →Attempts with new products: flowers
→EFTA-member: www.claro.ch
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