Caroline Robinson questions whether eco products help the planet or just the retailer…
Green and ethical living is has become an increasingly expansive and popular way of life. From humble beginnings as a niche sector of society, it is now a fully fledged industry.
Ethical living is diverse with activities ranging from switching off electric lights when leaving a room and recycling, to harvesting rainwater or growing your own vegetables but there is also a huge demand in the market for “green” and “eco” products that help consumers buy responsibly.
The UK has one of the largest green retail economies in Europe. Sales of environmentally friendly products are set to double in the UK by 2015 to £17 billion. In addition, the popularity for Fairtrade products has grown dramatically as part of the new green living phenomenon. Since the first three Fairtrade products appeared in shops in 1994, there are now more than 4,500 products carrying the Fairtrade label. (more…)