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Jan 4, 2022
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UK ethical consumer spending hits £100bn, fashion resale market booming - report

Published
Jan 4, 2022

It’s now huge and expected to get even bigger. That’s the UK’s annual spend on ethical products and investments, with the fashion resale sector now booming, according to a new Co-op Ethical Consumerism Report.


The fashion reale market its booming. Image - Net-A-Porter/Reflaunt


Overall ethical spending has now exceeded £100 billion for the first time, up 23.7% year-on-year.

The report also said ethical ‘green pound’ spending also reached a record £122 billion at the end of 2020, up from £51 billion at the end of  2010, due to consumer lifestyle adjustments linked to Covid and the climate crisis.

It said the resale sector saw “significant growth”, reflecting both financial and environmental concerns. The market for second-hand clothing grew by almost a quarter, reaching £864 million.

Meanwhile, sales of ethical beauty products also increased, up 11% to almost £1 billion, boosted by a shift towards online shopping for skincare products during the pandemic.

The amount spent on ethical products and services rose to £61 billion, up nearly 30% on 2019. That equates to £2,189 per household, a £489 increase on the previous year, and more than doubling the £1,028 spent in 2010.

Meanwhile, the report found that more shoppers are actively boycotting brands on ethical, social or environmental grounds. The affected businesses suffered a loss of almost £4 billion, up 18%, or £600 million, on the previous year.

“Our Ethical Consumerism Report is a barometer on consumer behaviour and shoppers are turning up the heat to boycott businesses which fail to act on ethical or social concerns,” warned Steve Murrells, chief executive of the Co-op Group.

“The report is a warning to brands that they must do business a better way for workers, communities and the planet,” he added, pointing out that it “offers clear evidence to policy-makers that they can positively influence change.”

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