Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on ethical consumption in which interest has grown significantly, both in its volume and in terms of the range of concerns which underpin it, with far-reaching effects on business and society. It offers the identification and definitions of ethical consumption and related terminology and note relevant distinctions between this terminology. The book then explores typologies of ethical consumer practices and offers a brief discussion of consumer power and the extent to which consumers can be considered to be morally culpable for their purchases. It also focuses on the emergence of contemporary perspectives on ethical consumer behaviour from three discrete perspectives which people believe are salient in the business and marketing literature on ethical consumption.