OT Do you care were the products you buy are made

[Growltigger]

I feel quite strongly on this, and I admit, take a similar stance to Dogscoff.

I boycott companies. I do not shop at several supermarkets which are either owned by companies which have policies I disagree with, or are particularily notorious for giving farmers a poor deal. I do not buy Proctor & Gamble products (they test non-medecines on animals) or Nike/Adidias products (slave labour in Eastern bloc/Asian countries), I do not eat at McDonalds, I do not buy petrol from Shell or Texaco, the list goes on. I boycott a company once I become aware (and I do read the FT and Times every day) that it has unethical policies.

I am a bit of a hypocrite here though because I smoke (although I currently trying to give up)

That being said, I tend to gravitate toward products from countries which I feel are well made. For example, my cars are diesel (low sulphur of course) but are both German (except for my old land rover). My household appliances, from the iron to the fridge, are all German (Bosch and Neff). I buy these due to reliability, and that post-WWII, the german companies have done more than most to introduce to decent practices in their factories, following on from the slave labour accusations justifiably made from WWII.

In relation to food, I buy local products. I always buy organic meat (not just free range, but organic). I buy organic vegetables, I buy organic wheat, and make my own bread (only way to get my nails really clean). I recycle pLastic bottles, tin cans, glass and has the famous compost heap which devours all vegetable waste from the kitchen. I dont buy food products grown in countries I have an ethical problem with.

Buying organic may not avoid all the BSE problems we have had in UK, but it does obviate part of the risk as the organic certification I buy require the herds to have been BSE free at all times.

BUT organic meat tastes better to me. It certainly has a better texture. I am slightly hypocritical here to cos I do go shooting pheasants. But I do always take away and eat what I shoot

I also bank with an ethical bank here in the UK, and my pension funds are invested in what I consider to be ethical investments. I do not invest in arms, tobacco or anything like that. Took bloody ages to sort out, but I feel better for doing that!

I do boycott US products, but primarily as I think the food produce is inferior (american cheese? YUKKK) and the beer has obviously been recycled - must be pure though after passing through so many kidneys before mine!!! I dont really buy electronic goods but those I have are made in Germany or Holland. I check place of manufacture of these quite carefully.