First published 18 June 2018
Dr Erin O’Brien from QUT’s Crime and Justice Research Centre says while ethical consumerism has a positive message, it does not adequately consider alternative options – or do enough to address the root of the problem.
- Alternative options for consumers may be to reuse or repair items, or simply not to make a purchase at all
- While products marketed as ethical may make consumers feel good about their purchase, they should think beyond the product’s credentials
- Shoppers should question how their purchases will deliver benefits, with greater emphasis placed on the stories of exploited workers
“Modern slavery encompasses a wide range of exploitative labour practices and, in recent times, we have seen a number of high-profile campaigns, aimed at ending slavery, particularly through the education, and actions, of consumers. These have included boycotts, buycotts, and even surveys estimating ‘how many slaves’ work for an individual, based on their lifestyle,” Dr O’Brien said.
“The basic assumption in these initiatives is that, without a demand for products and a willingness to pay for them, supply will diminish. Unfortunately, it is not that straightforward,” she said.
Dr O’Brien said one of the main challenges for consumer campaigns was that they played into a stereotypical portrayal of the issue and how it could be solved.
“The underlying message in consumer campaigns is that, if only consumers were aware of trafficking, they would act to stop it.
“The problem with that message is that it constrains consumers to the role of heroic rescuer. This lets consumers off the hook, and embeds solutions to modern slavery in a culture of unquestioned capitalism.
“Ultimately this approach sidelines victims from the trafficking story. The focus is on the slavery-free product, rather than freeing slaves.
“It also fails to question how our demand for goods fuels trafficking in the first place and supports the idea that consumers should act within the marketplace to effect change.
“While these campaigns should still be commended for increasing awareness of the issue, in reality, consumers need to question not only what they are buying, but whether they need to buy anything at all,” she said.
Dr O’Brien’s paper Human Trafficking and Heroic Consumerism has been published this month in the International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy. The topic is also explored in her book, Challenging the Human Trafficking Narrative: Victims, Villains, and Heroes, due for publication in July.
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