Animal treatment concerns the welfare and ethics surrounding farmed and wild animals (particularly when associated with the production of food), and includes animal experimentation. Animal products found in supermarkets are, for the most part, produced on an industrial scale in factory farm conditions, where animal welfare is not always a priority. Products (animal-derived and other) are often sourced in a way that compromises the welfare of many creatures.
Unfortunately, most consumers still believe that animals live in picturesque conditions, as conveyed by children’s storybooks and often on the product labels themselves (involving misrepresentative images or the anthropomorphism of ingredients). The reality is that over 50 billion meat, dairy and egg-producing animals are slaughtered annually, worldwide - and most of them endure horrendous living, transport and slaughter conditions.
Organisations involved:
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Biodiversity measures the variety of plant and animal life forms on the planet and the inter-related roles of these species as part of a diverse system. Any one species of plant, animal or any other life form can have a major effect on the behaviour of an entire system and it is important that the balance of nature is not wildly interfered with. It is broadly recognised that a greater level of biodiversity leads to a healthier planet, but the intricacies are, to a large extent, not fully understood. In many cases the production of food and other products damages and compromises entire ecosystems (a well known example being the destruction of rain forests for large-scale farming of various crops). This category covers the possible reduction of biodiversity as a result of the sourcing and production of various ingredients in the products reviewed.
Organisations involved:
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A carbon footprint is the total measure of greenhouse gases (GHG’s: primarily carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and water vapour) emitted during the complete life-cycle of a product, process, person, event or organisation. This is measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2 eq.), which is calculated for each emitted GHG according to its global warming potential (GWP) as compared to the GWP baseline of CO2.
Organisations involved:
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The preparation of food can have huge effects on the enjoyment and experience of the final product. Sometimes it is important to complete the task as efficiently as possible, but often the preparation of a meal is tantamount to an entire social event. Politics, history, evolution, anthropology, culture and art have all been affected by the way in which we prepare and eat our food. Whether we are simply putting it in the microwave, lovingly labouring for hours over a hot fire, painstakingly arranging fresh fruit and vegetables in a beautiful way or drinking coffee on the run, food and the way in which we prepare, eat and enjoy it can shape our lives, health and relationships. |
Genetically modified organisms (GMO's) are plants (or animals) whose genetic structure has been modified using genetic engineering techniques. Most genetic modifications of this nature are performed to enhance the adaptability or pest-resistance (for example) of crops, so that they can be grown in areas in which they would not normally survive, or to increase crop yields. The debate about whether or not GM crops should be grown on a commercial scale is as yet unresolved, but opponents to GMO's cite various reasons to ban the use of GMO crops, including potential negative economic, social, environmental and health issues.
Organisation involved:
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Although marketing campaigns and product labels are intended to inform consumers about what they are buying, the absence of suitable labeling legislation has meant that producers and retailers are able to label their products with misleading or ambiguous terms, such as eco-friendly, green, environmentally friendly, biodegradable, free range, free to roam, natural, etc. These terms are not legislated, so producers are allowed to use them as part of trademarked brand names - leading consumers to believe that the product they are buying conforms to their idea of biodegradable, free range, natural, etc. Advertising exists to persuade consumers to choose one product they need or want over another, and also to convince consumers to buy things that they may not need or want at all. Some campaigns can be misleading and can lead people to believe that it is important to choose or buy a certain product through fear (be it social, health, environmental or otherwise). The effect of marketing and advertising on society is profound and it is important that brands are held accountable for the values and "facts" that they publicise.
Organisation involved:
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Many consumers do not have a good understanding of the nutritional value of their food, or the possible harmful effects of controversial foods and food ingredients on their health. However, this category is not only restricted to foods, as other products may contain ingredients that can be harmful. The health benefits of various products will also be discussed in this category.
Organisations involved:
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Packaging is used on most consumer products for a wide range of purposes, including: maintaining freshness and minimising bacteria, product aesthetics, impact protection, bulk purchasing and transport. But, to create the packaging and the products themselves requires a lot of energy and natural resources, resulting in a lot of waste, and the impacts and implications of these products and their packaging often reach much further than we realise. Recycling and reusing materials, minimising waste and replacing harmful substances used to create the products themselves as well as the packaging, is crucial to relieve pressure on natural resources, natural systems and landfills. Therefore, the processes, materials and substances used, the level of recyclability and the percentage of recycled content of our products and their packaging material, is extremely important information to the consumer when choosing which products to buy.
Organisations involved:
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The three fundamental pillars of sustainability are economic prosperity, social upliftment and environmental protection. In essence, the practice of sustainability is aimed at striking a give/take balance with our finite natural surroundings, making sure we can exist in harmony with our environment in the present, while planning for the sustained well-being of future generations. One example of the importance of this is the global fisheries industry. Sustainability in fisheries is a fairly recent point of focus, particularly since the widespread realisation that many of the world's fish stocks have been drastically depleted since fishing on an industrial scale first began. With the rising middle-class worldwide in the last few decades, the demand for fish and sea products has grown exponentially, and questions arise about how much longer we can sustain this level of resource extraction without permanently damaging the marine ecosystem.
Organisations involved:
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The effect of consumerism on all members of society is huge. Human beings are affected in all stages of a product life-cycle, be it through high costs due to price fixing, poor conditions in factories and on farms, or the marginalisation of people through the use or destruction of their land. Too often, the greed of one human being leads to the exploitation of another. While the operations are sometimes illegal, in which case the offenders are punished accordingly, in many cases there is no legislation protecting these members of society. Frequently, the affected people are completely unrelated to the product on the shelf, and will never experience any of its benefits. In these cases, pressure from consumers, through transparent information about the origins of the products they buy, can help to change the lives of these marginalised people.
Organisations involved:
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The water footprint of a product is the total volume of water that is used to produce the product, during its entire life-cycle. This total should include blue, green and grey water: "blue" water denotes surface and ground water; "green" water denotes rainwater stored in the soil as soil moisture and "grey" water is waste water that is associated with the production of the foot-printed product. The continued availability of fresh water resources into the future becomes an increasingly relevant issue when we consider the inefficiency of most fresh water use, as well as the amount of current water wastage. The issue of future fresh water availability is only exasperated by the fact that, currently, nearly 1 billion people have insufficient access to safe water, and the alarming fact that the world population continues to expand.
Organisations involved:
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Animal treatment concerns the welfare and ethics surrounding farmed and wild animals (particularly when associated with the production of food), and includes animal experimentation. Animal products found in supermarkets are, for the most part, produced on an industrial scale in factory farm conditions, where animal welfare is not always a priority. Products (animal-derived and other) are often sourced in a way that compromises the welfare of many creatures. 
Biodiversity measures the variety of plant and animal life forms on the planet and the inter-related roles of these species as part of a diverse system. Any one species of plant, animal or any other life form can have a major effect on the behaviour of an entire system and it is important that the balance of nature is not wildly interfered with. It is broadly recognised that a greater level of biodiversity leads to a healthier planet, but the intricacies are, to a large extent, not fully understood. In many cases the production of food and other products damages and compromises entire ecosystems (a well known example being the destruction of rain forests for large-scale farming of various crops). This category covers the possible reduction of biodiversity as a result of the sourcing and production of various ingredients in the products reviewed.
A carbon footprint is the total measure of greenhouse gases (GHG’s: primarily carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and water vapour) emitted during the complete life-cycle of a product, process, person, event or organisation. This is measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2 eq.), which is calculated for each emitted GHG according to its global warming potential (GWP) as compared to the GWP baseline of CO2.
The preparation of food can have huge effects on the enjoyment and experience of the final product. Sometimes it is important to complete the task as efficiently as possible, but often the preparation of a meal is tantamount to an entire social event. Politics, history, evolution, anthropology, culture and art have all been affected by the way in which we prepare and eat our food. Whether we are simply putting it in the microwave, lovingly labouring for hours over a hot fire, painstakingly arranging fresh fruit and vegetables in a beautiful way or drinking coffee on the run, food and the way in which we prepare, eat and enjoy it can shape our lives, health and relationships.
Genetically modified organisms (GMO's) are plants (or animals) whose genetic structure has been modified using genetic engineering techniques. Most genetic modifications of this nature are performed to enhance the adaptability or pest-resistance (for example) of crops, so that they can be grown in areas in which they would not normally survive, or to increase crop yields. The debate about whether or not GM crops should be grown on a commercial scale is as yet unresolved, but opponents to GMO's cite various reasons to ban the use of GMO crops, including potential negative economic, social, environmental and health issues.
Although marketing campaigns and product labels are intended to inform consumers about what they are buying, the absence of suitable labeling legislation has meant that producers and retailers are able to label their products with misleading or ambiguous terms, such as eco-friendly, green, environmentally friendly, biodegradable, free range, free to roam, natural, etc. These terms are not legislated, so producers are allowed to use them as part of trademarked brand names - leading consumers to believe that the product they are buying conforms to their idea of biodegradable, free range, natural, etc. Advertising exists to persuade consumers to choose one product they need or want over another, and also to convince consumers to buy things that they may not need or want at all. Some campaigns can be misleading and can lead people to believe that it is important to choose or buy a certain product through fear (be it social, health, environmental or otherwise). The effect of marketing and advertising on society is profound and it is important that brands are held accountable for the values and "facts" that they publicise. 
Many consumers do not have a good understanding of the nutritional value of their food, or the possible harmful effects of controversial foods and food ingredients on their health. However, this category is not only restricted to foods, as other products may contain ingredients that can be harmful. The health benefits of various products will also be discussed in this category. 
Packaging is used on most consumer products for a wide range of purposes, including: maintaining freshness and minimising bacteria, product aesthetics, impact protection, bulk purchasing and transport. But, to create the packaging and the products themselves requires a lot of energy and natural resources, resulting in a lot of waste, and the impacts and implications of these products and their packaging often reach much further than we realise. Recycling and reusing materials, minimising waste and replacing harmful substances used to create the products themselves as well as the packaging, is crucial to relieve pressure on natural resources, natural systems and landfills. Therefore, the processes, materials and substances used, the level of recyclability and the percentage of recycled content of our products and their packaging material, is extremely important information to the consumer when choosing which products to buy.
The three fundamental pillars of sustainability are economic prosperity, social upliftment and environmental protection. In essence, the practice of sustainability is aimed at striking a give/take balance with our finite natural surroundings, making sure we can exist in harmony with our environment in the present, while planning for the sustained well-being of future generations. One example of the importance of this is the global fisheries industry. Sustainability in fisheries is a fairly recent point of focus, particularly since the widespread realisation that many of the world's fish stocks have been drastically depleted since fishing on an industrial scale first began. With the rising middle-class worldwide in the last few decades, the demand for fish and sea products has grown exponentially, and questions arise about how much longer we can sustain this level of resource extraction without permanently damaging the marine ecosystem.
The effect of consumerism on all members of society is huge. Human beings are affected in all stages of a product life-cycle, be it through high costs due to price fixing, poor conditions in factories and on farms, or the marginalisation of people through the use or destruction of their land. Too often, the greed of one human being leads to the exploitation of another. While the operations are sometimes illegal, in which case the offenders are punished accordingly, in many cases there is no legislation protecting these members of society. Frequently, the affected people are completely unrelated to the product on the shelf, and will never experience any of its benefits. In these cases, pressure from consumers, through transparent information about the origins of the products they buy, can help to change the lives of these marginalised people.
The water footprint of a product is the total volume of water that is used to produce the product, during its entire life-cycle. This total should include blue, green and grey water: "blue" water denotes surface and ground water; "green" water denotes rainwater stored in the soil as soil moisture and "grey" water is waste water that is associated with the production of the foot-printed product. The continued availability of fresh water resources into the future becomes an increasingly relevant issue when we consider the inefficiency of most fresh water use, as well as the amount of current water wastage. The issue of future fresh water availability is only exasperated by the fact that, currently, nearly 1 billion people have insufficient access to safe water, and the alarming fact that the world population continues to expand.
