We’re encouraging you to join us in approaching your festive bargain hunt differently by shopping local, supporting independents and shopping with companies who are authentically good, both environmentally and socially.
Check out our quick guide to shopping ethically this Dear Green Friday.
Ethical Shopping Guide
With the shift to conscious consumerism well underway, there’s never been a better time to make the switch to more ethical purchasing habits. More and more people are choosing to spend their hard earned pennies with companies that are genuinely doing good, environmentally and socially. This is a shift we’re seeing not just in the coffee industry, but across a wide range of industries, from chocolate to tea, to cosmetics & clothing.
Ethical values are at the heart of everything we do here at Dear Green. We’ve created ethical partnerships to ensure that the coffee we buy & sell is fully traceable, in most cases back to the farmer. We also work with importers through direct trade to ensure that producers are paid a fair price for the coffee they produce.
Every time you shop with us, you’re not only getting tasty specialty coffee, but you’re also supporting our sustainability targets, the jobs we’ve created and the value chain we are part of. By choosing us as your coffee of choice, you allow us to continue supporting the incredible coffee producers we’ve been purchasing from for the past decade. Dear Green Coffee Roasters is built on the foundations of People, Planet & Product; as a certified B Corp, we have progressive environmental and social policies at the heart of everything we do.
Our long term commitment to donating 2% of our annual turnover, 1% of this to environmental organisations through ‘1% For the Planet’. This means you can be safe in the knowledge that your coffee purchase won’t leave a bad taste in your mouth!
Here’s some tips to make your journey into ethical shopping a bit easier.
Do Your Research
When it comes to shopping ethically, most brands that have solid ethical and environmental credentials will talk about it on their websites. Look out for environmental policies or ethical policies, usually found in the footer or header. Transparency is a big part of being an ethical brand, so if they’re not talking the talk they probably aren’t walking the walk! Supporting companies who are certified B Corps and are contributing to 1% For the Planet demonstrates that they have been third party audited for their ethical commitments and statements.
Minimise ‘Big Brand’ Shopping
It would be easy to write ‘Ditch the Big Brands’ but in practice it’s extremely difficult. Mitigating factors such as cost of living, convenience, affordability and accessibility, all come into play here. So we’re not here to tell you to never shop with a big brand ever again, but try to work small independent businesses into your purchasing routines. Even switching 20% of your weekly purchases over to an ethical independent retailer could make a huge difference, not just to those small businesses, but also to your local economy.
Only Buy What You Need
This one seems like it would be easy, but sometimes you see a deal that’s too good to be true and then it ends up sitting in your cupboard for the next two years. We’ve all been there, us included. The thing is, a lot of the time, these irresistible deals aren’t even that irresistible. Big brands will usually employ some sneaky tactics on the run up to Black Friday, gradually increasing their prices and then reducing them back to the price they were originally at. Keep a list of what you’re looking to purchase with prices, then when it comes to the big day you can easily check if you’re actually getting a good deal.
Shop Independent
There’s many benefits to shopping with independent businesses. Not only does it boost your local economy, but often you’ll find passionate business owner who specialise in the products they sell. What’s more, with a smaller business model comes greater control over the supply chain, meaning the chances of products being ethical increases significantly. There’s plenty of independent businesses out there that you could add into your weekly shopping routine, from local fruit shops to fish mongers, butchers, flower shops, record stores and of course, your friendly neighbourhood coffee roastery (that’s us) or coffee shop.
SO DEAR GREEN FRIDAY IS GO! And we wouldn’t have it any other way. Enjoy 15% OFF our entire range of coffee beans (excludes bundles) until Sunday 26th November! Use code DGFRIDAY.
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