Recession increases ethical shopping

New research has shown that there has been an increase in

ethical shopping during the recession as more shoppers actively seek out responsible labels to buy.

The "Window on the Considered Shopper" report from shopper research specialist Shoppercentric has revealed how purchasing habits have changed as a result of the recession with more shoppers looking to buy responsible and ethically sourced products.

The research found that 83% of today’s shoppers actively seek out responsible labels compared with 76% in 2010 while 73% of shoppers said they would buy more ethical goods if the price matched those of standard products.

"There is no doubt shoppers have to be more considered in their shopping these days," said Shoppercentric’s managing director, Danielle Pinnington.

She continued: "The ‘have it all’ times have gone, and the ‘do I really need it’ days are here. Shoppers are being more prudent and responsible in their buying behaviour and as a result they are taking small steps towards becoming more environmentally-friendly and sustainable.

"The interesting thing is that shoppers don’t yet appear to be making that link themselves – for them, being environmentally friendly is more about what they buy, rather than how they buy and consume. This might feel like splitting hairs, but it’s a crucial point for retailers and brands and something that they could help develop more quickly."

Shoppercentric said the research showed that while shoppers want to be responsible in their shopping, they also expect more than just 'ethical noise' from retailers and look to them to at least treat suppliers ethically and use local suppliers where possible.

Melissa Davis, director of Sustainability Consultancy, Truebranding, said: "Shoppercentric's report highlights a key insight in today's tough economy - that recession spending among consumers is closely aligned with responsible shopping behaviour.