Australian Ethical Shopping List Launched

A shopping list that enables customers to make ethical choices at the supermarket checkout has been launched in Australia.

The Look deeper into the products you buy campaign was launched by 100 certified B Corporations in Australia and New Zealand, and focusses on 13 local consumer brands.

Executive Director B Lab Australia and New Zealand, Alicia Darvall, said leading Australian Fast Moving Consumer Good (FMCG) companies had united to help create the shopping list.

“The B Corp shopping list was created to help consumers identify ethical products and support brands that are making positive changes for the world, not just greenwashing,” Darcall said.

“There’s a lot of demand for this. Edelman Australia’s Brandshare Research shows that Australian consumers are more likely to connect with a brand that has a clear mission and purpose at its core.

“Neilson’s recent Global Sustainability Report shows that consumer brands that are committed to sustainability outperform those who don’t – with sales growing by 4 per cent in the last year, as opposed to just 1 per cent for brands who don’t demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.”

Certified B Corporations voluntarily agree to meet higher standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. These brands have a focus on the triple bottom line, employees, community and the environment.

Founder of TOM Organic, Aimee Marks, said her business goals extended beyond profit – including responsibilities to stakeholders and the environment.

“At TOM Organic we are shaping the world we all want to live in; in a world where we can thrive on every front. We want to create a world where unconscious consumerism is not the norm, but instead products are directly linked to positive social and environmental impact,” Marks said.

Kooks wine co-founder Chris Tucker said the decision to donate a percentage of their proceeds to social enterprises was not driven by marketing – it was an intrinsic part of doing business and defining success.

“Together we can enliven the communities in which we live in. By participating in this campaign, we’re encouraging consumers to look deeper into the products they buy and learn more about the B Corp movement,” Tucker said.

The full shopping list can be found here.