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How principled are you?

(95 Posts)
Sago Sun 09-Jul-23 11:52:36

I used to be so principled, I boycotted Tesco for 20+ years due to their sending all their profits out to the BVI and the detrimental effect they had on the local economy.
I would not purchase Nestle products as they were promoting formula milk in third world countries and so it goes on.

This morning to my fury I read that Jeremy Hunt was refused a Monzo account because of his politics.
I immediately went to my account to transfer all the funds to another account, I then remembered our trip across Spain next month and the reason I opened the account in the first place!

I’m sorry Jeremy but if I’m still angry in September I will close it then😬.

grandMattie Mon 10-Jul-23 15:11:03

Yes, I am principled.
Sadly, I can’t change my bank because I get DH’s pension from it; he was their employee before it got taken over….
I try very hard to buy local or British foodstuffs that we can produce - apples, strawberries, etc.
I will not buy French wine (or apples, rarely cheese) as they are so vindictive towards us.
I try to get clothes ethically produced if I can afford them, but in any case buy very few.

grandMattie Mon 10-Jul-23 15:11:58

Oh, yes. And Nestle products too.
Nothing from Amazon…

LovesBach Mon 10-Jul-23 15:42:25

I won't fly again, a nod to my GC's future, but feel a hypocrite because we run two cars. (We do need them because of the dearth of transport in the area) I buy food from Waitrose because of their animal welfare policy, and try hard to recycle and not buy new. There must be many areas where we both fall down badly, but we consider the things we do, and attempt to do the right thing.

Danma Mon 10-Jul-23 15:46:18

Oh I’m very principled šŸ˜‡

It’s just that I don’t always act on them šŸ™„šŸ˜‰šŸ˜Š

Nanatoone Mon 10-Jul-23 16:21:12

I’m similar to most here and tries not to buy from A….. but lockdown changed everything for me in relation to that. I feel bad that I don’t go to the shops much but can’t complain when they close because my business has gone elsewhere. Two sides to every coin I guess. By the way, saying that you would willingly assassinate our prime minister is very low as far as I’m concerned. A terrible thing to say.

Skye17 Mon 10-Jul-23 16:23:30

I am fairly principled.

- I did boycott South African produce
- I don’t buy factory farmed meat or farmed fish, and only buy free range eggs
- I avoid palm oil
- No NestlƩ products
- No pesticides
- I don’t give money to medical charities that fund research on animals
- I have stopped giving money to Amnesty International because they now promote abortion
- I haven’t flown since the mid-1990s
- I mainly buy eco-friendly cleaning products. I’m hot on recycling too

However, I do use Amazon blush I don’t like the way they treat their staff, but they are just so useful.

As a temp secretary, I once refused to do some work that involved a battery chicken farm. The manager where I was working was very nice about it. Perhaps I reminded him of his daughter smile

Nan0 Mon 10-Jul-23 16:49:10

Excellent, Me too

Milest0ne Mon 10-Jul-23 17:00:25

Reading Witzend's post, There is a Danish company setting up a bacon factory in Lancashire using imported Danish pork when a lot of British pig farmers are going out of business. The company is intending to sell the bacon as British. Sneaky.
I try to avoid buying anything made in China. Very difficult.

Callistemon21 Mon 10-Jul-23 17:04:58

Interest, thank you.

I try to buy British bacon.

Many "British" products are made in China now.

Callistemon21 Mon 10-Jul-23 17:05:10

Interesting!

Gundy Mon 10-Jul-23 17:25:45

I boycotted my city’s largest department store chain (Boston Store) for 30 yrs when they messed with me over a credit transaction once - closed the account and never stepped into their stores (all over the city) all those years, till….

….my second favorite (nationwide) chain - Marshall Field’s - where I moved my shopping to, got bought out by Macy’s!!! Of all things.

I mourned the closing of iconic Field’s and every time I saw Macy’s red star logo - all I could think of was ā€œyou communists!ā€ Hah

Now shopping Von Maur!
USA Gundy

jocork Mon 10-Jul-23 17:55:56

I've avoided Nestle products for the same reason as the OP and avoid Barclays because of their investments. I also avoided a local store as I knew that the owner's son was working there while claiming benefits. I did consider dropping them in it but didn't want the drama as his wife was a colleague, though we didn't get on anyway. In the end he joined the police force which makes me very suspicious about the honesty of our boys in blue! Not surprised at all by some recent revelations though there are good police officers clearly there are plenty bad apples too!
I try to be principled but I guess if we boycotted every dodgy business we would have nowhere to buy things or to get services. We can only try to work out who we trust as best we can.

M0nica Mon 10-Jul-23 18:08:55

There is no need to buy from Amazon, although there site does make a good directory, especially for books. Everything they sell can be bought elsewhere.

I buy books from Waterstones, having first checked the bibliographic details on Amazon, and almst everything else can be bought, either direct from the supplier or on ebay and similar sites.

Norah Mon 10-Jul-23 18:26:36

M0nica

There is no need to buy from Amazon, although there site does make a good directory, especially for books. Everything they sell can be bought elsewhere.

I buy books from Waterstones, having first checked the bibliographic details on Amazon, and almst everything else can be bought, either direct from the supplier or on ebay and similar sites.

I find it convenient, use the car less. I needed Rose Harissa, ordered yesterday, will arrive tomorrow. Sorted for £4.50 ebay was £13.87.

We don't use ebay, but opinions vary as to selling sites.

Norah Mon 10-Jul-23 18:42:58

Amazon is fine for those who would have to otherwise drive about as we would.

Another example, Birkenstock £223.80 delivered.

Shizam Mon 10-Jul-23 18:46:46

I refused to have Sky TV in the house in protest at Murdoch. Still haven’t got it. Not sure Murdoch cares, though 😳

taurusmmukpp Mon 10-Jul-23 19:03:30

I was only 10 years old when the SA boycott was on and I felt sorry for the local workers and so carried on buying their apples. I obviously didn’t understand the politics at the time.

B9exchange Mon 10-Jul-23 19:04:05

In some ways I am principled, I won't use WhatsApp or any other Meta product because I loathe Mark Zuckerberg and everything he stands for, but it does make life difficult, I am seen as a pain by other group members. As a family we use Signal instead, but I can't expect everyone to change.

I buy free range eggs, and check where meat comes from, but I don't hesitate to fly to visit family. And electric cars are far too expensive for us. Nor would I get a heat pump, we are not expecting to be around long enough for it to pay for itself!

Saggi Mon 10-Jul-23 19:10:03

If you get principled about third world countries and cheap clothes and baby milk and apples and beans and how everything was oh so much better in the past ….which it Defo wasn’t you’d never eat and go naked!

Bella23 Mon 10-Jul-23 19:13:53

I always buy free range eggs and chicken. Locally sourced beef, venison and lamb and bought meat from" Lakeland Farmers", until they stopped selling it to the public and only supply to London restaurants. They weren't as principled as me.
I also changed teachers Union because they were going on strike . I worked with children from very poor homes who got their breakfast at school and would be left roaming the streets.

Allsorts Mon 10-Jul-23 19:29:23

Yes I am. It makes life complicated sometimes. The list is very long but can’t be any other way.

Grammaretto Mon 10-Jul-23 19:51:33

I do have principles. Whether or not anything I do or not makes much difference, I don't know.

I support independent shops whenever possible and avoid Amazon.

I don't fly if there's another way
Next week I shall be traveling to the Isle of Skye by bus, train and ferry.
I used to subscribe to the Ethical Consumer magazine. It was quite depressing. Everything from biscuits to dog food was implicated.

It is impossible to avoid all the nasties.
I grow veg and some fruit and together with my late DH and our friends we started a community store where I volunteer. We try to be as ethical as possible in as many ways as we can. .
I'm glad to say it's doing well

RainbowsAndUnicorns1 Mon 10-Jul-23 20:50:07

Callistemon21

^I’m unsympathetic to Just Stop Oil^

Dr Grahame Buss, Leading member of Just Stop Oil is revealed to be sitting on an estimated £1million pension pot from.. Big Oil Company.. Shell

Should he forfeit his pension?

twitter.com/ClimateRealists/status/1677913648436506628

What!?!

How disgusting, obviously his principles are for others and not for him........

Callistemon21 Mon 10-Jul-23 23:01:45

RainbowsAndUnicorns1

Callistemon21

I’m unsympathetic to Just Stop Oil

Dr Grahame Buss, Leading member of Just Stop Oil is revealed to be sitting on an estimated £1million pension pot from.. Big Oil Company.. Shell

Should he forfeit his pension?

twitter.com/ClimateRealists/status/1677913648436506628

What!?!

How disgusting, obviously his principles are for others and not for him........

He might claim he's "seen the light" but, if he has changed his views after a lifetime of working in the oil industry, he is still supping with the devil.

Chardy Tue 11-Jul-23 07:29:25

You are seriously suggesting that someone who paid into their pension for over 3 decades should forfeit it?

I'm grateful that someone who knows the oil industry inside out is now on the side of the angels.