Ethical Consumer
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Politically Motivated and Biased Journalism
I am a subscriber and many times in the magazines and online I am told which companies and banks have connections with Israel and should therefore be boycotted. I am opposed to the misogyny, homophobia and theocracy of hard-line Muslim states. I would like similar advice about companies with connections to these autocratic regimes, where women live a Handmaid's Tale existence. I have raised the issue with Ethical Consumer and on each occasion I am given a woolly response and am told they are following BDS campaign guidelines. The general public needs information to make ethical choices. Only highlighting one side for political reasons is unacceptable. As a member of the LGB community I want to know my money isn't going to countries where my sexuality would be illegal. Israel is NOT such a country. UPDATE: 15 May 2025. The response from Ethical Consumer is: "We believe there is good reason to give more focus to Israel" They say that Israel is under investigation for genocide and apartheid but clearly they feel the way women and members of the LGBT community in many Muslim countries is acceptable and they are not prepared to change their exclusively anti-Israel position. Shame on them. UPDATE: Ater the latest comment from Ethical Consumer where they say: "we believe these are good reasons for the research we do on companies and their links to Israel. We have seen a great increase in civil society wanting to learn about these topics, which we are responding to." Given there is a conflict between Israel and the Palestinians (and Islam) it is incumbent on Ethical Consumer to present both sides, or neither - otherwise how can 'civil society' learn about these topics? Just to target Israel is unacceptable. UPDATE: In the Jul/Aug magazine they're at it again. One-sided journalism as its worst. I am given no advice as to how I can avoid using companies which support or invest in misogynistic, homophobic dictatorships. I am a gay man and Ethical Consumer does not provide me with any information to ensure my money does not help these theocratic regimes. Absolutely appalling journalism. The Jul/Aug issue is full to the brim with antisemitic sentiment. They bash Israel at every opportunity. I don’t know how anyone with ethics could support countries with the homophobic and misogynistic policies of the Axis of Evil - yet EC clearly does. Shocking and EC’s vitriol is getting worse.
