The main aim of the economy is to ensure that all the human needs are fulfilled. Goods and services offered on the market must be of good quality, they must be produced in a socially correct way and everyone must be able to afford them. The economy must contribute to the well-being of current and future generations, aiming at a sustainable development.
Poor working conditions and child labour in so called developing countries, or negative effects on the environment caused by industry, show how damaging an unregulated market economy can be.
The possibilities of national and international governments in regulating the economy are declining. Multinationals dominate world trade, and the relation between producer and consumer is becoming more and more complex.
Consumers have the power to change this situation. (Re)actions of consumers have existed for a long time. At the end of the 19th century trade unions organised actions for a fair bread price. Afterwards consumers' organisations and others took over this role.
In the 60's World shops showed that there was a need for a fair international trade. In the 70's consumers' boycotts were very common. In the 80's ecological and health criteria became more and more important for consumers deciding about which products to buy. Since the 90's the term 'sustainable development' has become widely used: a lot of people adapted their consuming behaviour taking account of the environment, other people and future generations.
By means of money consumers can have influence. Together consumers can have a large influence. For instance when deciding to buy or not to buy a product and/or by choosing ethical banking. There are also other ways for consumers to show their power: postcard campaigns, petitions, demonstrations...
More and more companies are choosing an ethical path, either on their own initiative or under pressure from consumers. This means that they develop environmental awareness, respect for civil rights and workers rights, fair trade policies and workplace democracy.
Moreover, consumers can contribute to changes by setting a good example themselves: consuming less, consuming more conscientiously, preventing and recycling waste, buying fair trade products, shopping at second-hand shops and supporting the social economy.
The interest in ethical and ecological consumption increases. The 'Network For Ethical Consumption' (Netwerk Bewust Verbruiken, NBV) unites quite a lot Flemish consumer groups, third world and environmental organisations, who offer information on responsible consumption, or opportunities to consume ethically. The goal is to stimulate people to consume in an ethical way.
The Network wants to:
(a) Endorse and coordinate campaigns on ethical consumption, with the aim of encouraging ethical consumption and to influence state policies. The NBV wants to create a multiplication effect for initiatives and actions on ethical consumption organised by member organisations.
Concrete: we ensure that campaigns complement those of other member organisations, and we announce one another's campaigns in our publications.
(b) Unite member organisations for common actions and initiatives.
Concrete: We organize the yearly Week of the ethical consumer.
(c) Offer and spread information on ethical consumption, environment, ethics, rights of employees and/or people living in the third world.
Concrete: (1) the NBV creates an inventory of sources on ethical consumption (books, flyers, magazines, websites, organisations, specialists,...) (2) by means of an internal mailing list, we share information which every organisation can use or reproduce in their publications.
The power of the Network lies in the diversity of the member organisations and the variety of the ways in which they communicate.
This platform text is underwritten by the members of the Netwerk Bewust Verbruiken.
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