Consumer Responsibility and Guilt

[biotechpete]

After watching a bit of tonight's Panorama, about how big respected brands are employing child refugees to make their clothes, I got to wondering.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37716463

What can I really do, as a consumer to change this? I feel bad that I buy stuff that may/may not be made in such factories, although I don't buy from the brands identified, or ones like Primark who have previously been implicated in such practices.

 

But really, should I be expected to check out the background of every shop I buy from? I try to purchase responsibly. I buy fewer quality products instead of lots of cheaper ones. Brands like Nudie supposedly use fair trade cotton, make unannounced visits to factories etc but then I/they could easily be conned. Nearly every brand manufactures in the developing world and lots of factories use sub-contractors.

 

Similarly, I saw this today about atmospheric CO2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37729033

Again I do what I can about the environment. I get the train or cycle to work. I 'try' to buy food in season instead of that flown from New Zealand or South Africa. But actually, modern life makes it pretty difficult.

 

So, I know as consumers we have responsibility to make ethical choices. But how far can we really be responsible for this. Isn't it the responsibility of governments to restrict trade with countries which allow child labour instead of providing them with schools. If we're serious about climate change shouldn't we be getting real about restricting CO2 emissions in a serious way, by providing cleaner, greener, affordable alternatives? Why should consumers be made to feel guilty while the society built around them ties both hands behind their backs?

[Petminder]

What's the plan to feed and cloth them if we stop buying the stuff they make?

[Scozzie]

You can always do what they do in the USA and sue someone

http://mobile.confectionerynews.com/Commodities/Mars-Nestle-and-Hershey-face-fresh-cocoa-child-labor-lawsuits

 

I'd hope that you'd donate any monies won to a refugee charity.

[biotechpete]

What's the plan to feed and cloth them if we stop buying the stuff they make?

 

Well quite, and isn't it the responsibility of eg the government of Bangladesh to enforce laws which mean that their children are in school, not in sweatshops. Perhaps a blockade on countries which don't do enough for their own people would force some action?

[Petminder]

Well quite, and isn't it the responsibility of eg the government of Bangladesh to enforce laws which mean that their children are in school, not in sweatshops. Perhaps a blockade on countries which don't do enough for their own people would force some action?

 

I saw a young lad on the news, the sweat shop he worked in was closed down after British buyers found out they used child labour, the lad was roaming the streets looking for more work, work he need desperately to feed his family.

[tinfoilhat]

My Dave Angel avatar is very apt. I try hard to go eco and or fair trade but I'm not made of money with lots of time on my hands. I don't do all the food shopping either. Some of its hard to even get info - I've no clue where my safety boots are made and what sort of standards the workers get. UK made ones are hugely expensive. I wear craghoppers a lot and they make the right noises but given the price of them I am realistic.

 

I buy equipment from India and have streamed video from the factory (off spec) and spoke to their bigger clients who have visited from the states. Considering where the skilled guys further down the ladder who work there go on holiday they're doing OK I think.

 

But what of the conditions for cheaper goods in this country? We could have up to 13000 working in slavery in this country and a fair chunk not getting the pay they should. I'd wager a number of them are producing goods for blue chip companies.

[BHRemovals]

the uk uses more carrier bags than Germany Holland france belguim and the scandanavian countries put to gether

[biotechpete]

the uk uses more carrier bags than Germany Holland france belguim and the scandanavian countries put to gether

 

I much reduced my use of plastic carrier bags over a decade ago. In fact my mum used to take the old bags to reuse at the supermarket even when I was a kid. She hates waste so it's something built in to me. I use eco-fabric bags for that. But it took (LibDem) legislation to reduce the use by everyone else by 85%. In reality it shouldn't take legislation, but then a combination of ignorance and convenience mean these things take hold.

 

---------- Post added 24-10-2016 at 22:39 ----------

 

My Dave Angel avatar is very apt. I try hard to go eco and or fair trade but I'm not made of money with lots of time on my hands. I don't do all the food shopping either. Some of its hard to even get info - I've no clue where my safety boots are made and what sort of standards the workers get. UK made ones are hugely expensive. I wear craghoppers a lot and they make the right noises but given the price of them I am realistic.

 

I buy equipment from India and have streamed video from the factory (off spec) and spoke to their bigger clients who have visited from the states. Considering where the skilled guys further down the ladder who work there go on holiday they're doing OK I think.

 

But what of the conditions for cheaper goods in this country? We could have up to 13000 working in slavery in this country and a fair chunk not getting the pay they should. I'd wager a number of them are producing goods for blue chip companies.

 

This is kind of what I'm getting at. For instance, we have laws, minimum wage, ban on slavery. How many people must be turning a blind eye for these things to be true? The 'authorities' should be doing something surely. It shouldn't even be up to me as a consumer to have to make decisions about goods made in the UK.

[phil752]

After watching a bit of tonight's Panorama, about how big respected brands are employing child refugees to make their clothes, I got to wondering.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37716463

What can I really do, as a consumer to change this? I feel bad that I buy stuff that may/may not be made in such factories, although I don't buy from the brands identified, or ones like Primark who have previously been implicated in such practices.

 

But really, should I be expected to check out the background of every shop I buy from? I try to purchase responsibly. I buy fewer quality products instead of lots of cheaper ones. Brands like Nudie supposedly use fair trade cotton, make unannounced visits to factories etc but then I/they could easily be conned. Nearly every brand manufactures in the developing world and lots of factories use sub-contractors.

 

Similarly, I saw this today about atmospheric CO2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37729033

Again I do what I can about the environment. I get the train or cycle to work. I 'try' to buy food in season instead of that flown from New Zealand or South Africa. But actually, modern life makes it pretty difficult.

 

So, I know as consumers we have responsibility to make ethical choices. But how far can we really be responsible for this. Isn't it the responsibility of governments to restrict trade with countries which allow child labour instead of providing them with schools. If we're serious about climate change shouldn't we be getting real about restricting CO2 emissions in a serious way, by providing cleaner, greener, affordable alternatives? Why should consumers be made to feel guilty while the society built around them ties both hands behind their backs?

 

Just don't. When so called do good er start doing real good instead of playing to our morals. Remember they are getting payed to make you feel bad

[Randy]

After watching a bit of tonight's Panorama, about how big respected brands are employing child refugees to make their clothes, I got to wondering.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37716463

What can I really do, as a consumer to change this? I feel bad that I buy stuff that may/may not be made in such factories, although I don't buy from the brands identified, or ones like Primark who have previously been implicated in such practices.

 

But really, should I be expected to check out the background of every shop I buy from? I try to purchase responsibly. I buy fewer quality products instead of lots of cheaper ones. Brands like Nudie supposedly use fair trade cotton, make unannounced visits to factories etc but then I/they could easily be conned. Nearly every brand manufactures in the developing world and lots of factories use sub-contractors.

 

Similarly, I saw this today about atmospheric CO2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37729033

Again I do what I can about the environment. I get the train or cycle to work. I 'try' to buy food in season instead of that flown from New Zealand or South Africa. But actually, modern life makes it pretty difficult.

 

So, I know as consumers we have responsibility to make ethical choices. But how far can we really be responsible for this. Isn't it the responsibility of governments to restrict trade with countries which allow child labour instead of providing them with schools. If we're serious about climate change shouldn't we be getting real about restricting CO2 emissions in a serious way, by providing cleaner, greener, affordable alternatives? Why should consumers be made to feel guilty while the society built around them ties both hands behind their backs?

 

Don't believe the BBC's pro-migrant, pro-eco-nutters propaganda. Think for yourself.