The work of Victor Papanek and others has caused people to review their own role as consumers. This has given rise to the idea of ethical consumption. Victor Papanek was one of the first people to formulate the idea of ethical consumption. He argued that consumers should ask whether a design helps or damages society or the environment before they buy it.
Ethical consumption is being promoted widely now. Organic food and free trade goods are part of this shifting consciousness. Even supermarkets are giving out reusable carrier bags. I was in the Victoria and Albert Museum a few weeks ago and I bought this reusable bag in the gift shop. It was made from recycled newspapers in India as part of a social programme that employs impoverished people. The proceeds are used to provide education and shelter for street children.
With this new idea of ethical consumption, companies began to promote an ethical image. The main example is the Body Shop, which was founded by Anita Roddick in 1976. The Body Shop is a business with over 14,000 outlets around the world. Anita Roddick claimed that as well as making money, businesses have the power to do good. They use their stores and products to communicate human rights, environmental issues and animal protection.
The Body Shop formulated a corporate identity based on its ethical credentials. Aesthetically, the Body Shop has always been recognizable by its green colour. The interior design features natural and recycled materials like hemp, wicker and so on. It offers refillable containers, which reduces consumption. The stores are adorned with posters proclaiming the company's values. It's against animal testing, for example.
The customers tend to share these ideals, so the image benefits the company. The company's green and ethical image is a selling point - it appeals to socially and ecologically conscious people, so it's been argued that the "ethical" image is just another corporate strategy.
