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About

Get the low-down on the environmental and social track-record of the companies behind common brands.

The most popular digital guide to ethical shopping in Australia, Shop Ethical! has been designed to provide consumers with the easiest way to make informed purchasing decisions.

Consumer Power

By shopping ethically you can send a strong message for change and help support the practices that make our world a better place to live in.

At your fingertips

Instant access to information on over 5,000 products with related company and issue profiles. Make informed decisions when you shop.

Behind the brands

Ownership and assessment information on the companies behind common products on Australian shelves.

Transparency

Company ratings based on information from over 150 sources including the work of Greenpeace, Free2Work & Friends of the Earth.

Features

Learn more about this feature packed App

Barcode Scanner

Find how the companies behind common products rate in an instant.

Give feedback

Email companies to let them know how they can change.

Ratings icons

Easy-to-use colour and letter system to identify best-buys.

Brand comparison

Compare common products side by side.

Key categories

Includes Food & Drink, Household, Personal care, Clothing, Electronics, Appliances

Source links

Assessment details and links to over 150 key sources.

Issue blurbs

See the relevant issues for specific product types.

Action points

Put ideals into practice with actions for every issue.

Existing campaigns

Sign petitions, link into existing consumer advocacy campaigns.

Free data updates

Downloaded automatically upon starting the app.

Reviews

What People Are Saying About Shop Ethical!

“Opened my eyes for sure. This app has been invaluable for helping me make informed shopping decisions. I am time-poor, so the fact that the developers have done all the research for me makes this app really handy. ”

- Brooke Ottley, September 2018

“Cruelty free app - Love this! It's perfect for any shoppers who want to make better choices. The app includes brands that aren't too bad, great brands and the worst offenders. I can make a best buy. ”

- Grace Lambert-Smith, March 2019

“I never rate apps but... ...this one is worth it! Incredibly well researched and up to date. Every conscious consumer should be using this! ”

- Liss Whitam, January 2017

“Because the app has details on reasons companies have received praise or criticism I am able to look particularly at issues that are close to my heart and support or boycott companies accordingly. ”

- Stacy Avison, December 2015

“Fantastic app. The information is so easy to access - it has allowed me to shop with specific issues in mind. ”

- Tobi White, September 2013

Screens

See what’s included in the App

Product categories

Ratings legend

iPhone Compare brands

Compare brands 1

Compare brands 2

Compare brands 3

iPhone Company profile

Company profile 1

Company profile 2

Assessment details

Issue blurbs 1

Issue blurbs 2

Issue blurbs 3

The Issues

What do you value? What do you buy?

Palm oil is found in 1 in 10 supermarket products including shampoos, chocolate, cosmetics, and biscuits. The UN estimates that palm oil plantations are ‘now the primary cause of permanent rainforest loss’. This threatens the survival of the orangutans, the Sumatran tiger and the Asian rhinoceros.

PALM OIL

Demand for fish & seafood has doubled over the past 30 years, seeing three quarters of the world's oceans over-exploited, depleted or fished right up to their limit. Often we’re eating rare or endangered ocean species without realising it. ‘Bycatch’ — fish caught unintentionally — often sees up to 15 tonnes of discarded fish per tonne of targeted seafood.

OVERFISHING

Modern-day slavery, which affects more than 30 million people, is used in the production of many items sold on Australian shelves, including clothes and electronics. Long working hours and forced overtime sees employees working 10 to 18 hours a day and earning far below a living wage.

SWEATSHOP LABOUR

Concern about genetic modification of food crops include unknown health risks, threats to biodiversity, crop contamination and control over our food by the multinational chemical companies that own the patents on the technology.

GENETIC MODIFICATION

This ‘intensive production-line’ process maximises the amount of meat produced while minimising costs. The close confinement in barren and unnatural conditions involves massive environmental pollution and health risks for both animals and humans.

FACTORY FARMING

85 per cent of the products in the average Australian grocery trolley are either imported or made by foreign owned companies. Major players from Australia’s dairy, meat, beer, sugar, bread and vitamins industries have fallen into foreign hands in recent years. Foreign takeovers often see a consolidation of operations with factory closures and job cuts.

MULTINATIONALS

About 70 per cent of the cocoa beans used to make the world’s chocolate comes from West Africa. Many cocoa farms in this area use child labour. The Ivory Coast has an estimated 300,000 children working in dangerous conditions; more than half are under 14 years old. The work includes spraying pesticides, using machetes and carrying heavy loads.

CHOCOLATE & CHILD LABOUR

A typical Melbourne shopping basket has traveled a staggering 70,000 kilometers - equivalent to almost two trips around the world. Buy purchasing an orange grown in Mildura rather than 'California', you reduce food miles from 12,879 km to 567 kms.

FOOD MILES

Australia produces more than 3.4 million tonnes of packaging every year — that’s about 165kg per person — and only 48 per cent is recycled.

PACKAGING WASTE

Get the App

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Contact

Shop Ethical! is a collaboration between the Ethical Consumer Group and Outware Mobile.

Ethical Consumer Group

The Ethical Consumer Group is a community based, not-for-profit network set up to help facilitate more sustainable purchasing practices for the everyday consumer.

Outware Mobile

Outware Mobile is an Australian company that specialises in mobile application strategy, design & development for iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Mobile smartphones.