ABSTRACT
This chapter is a short overview of just some of the complexities currently facing consumers of products from the food supply chain. As people buy food, they face competing demands for their ‘morality’; these come from the viewpoint of animal welfare, environment, health, international justice and others. How can consumers make sense of these competing discourses? The conventional argument from policy-makers is that labelling is essential, together with education. This ‘informed consumer’ approach puts the responsibility for choice on the consumer; and conversely, if consumers do not consume ethically, this absolves the policy-maker. Policy can thereby compound the difficulties and complexities facing consumers. In fact, too often, policy is conducted in separate ‘boxes’. The consumer, not society, has to do the joining up.
