Consumer choices, socio-political consciousness and you

[Martinus]

How often are you guided by considerations that are not directly related to the quality and price of goods and services when making consumer choices?

This could include anything - from boycotting corporations that do something that you do not like (whether it is political donations, or being involved in worker rights abuse), or only choosing products with a certain certificate or badge (e.g. "kosher", "halal" or "fair trade"), to preferring to buy products manufactured locally/nationally as opposed to imports.

Let's assume for the sake of argument that a product's perceived "healthiness" (e.g. if a product is organic or not) is about quality, so does not count - but if you choose eggs from free range chickens because you oppose torture of chickens, or if you refuse to buy imported mineral water because of your concerns about the impact of transport on the environment, this counts for the purpose of this question..

[Zanza]

Occasionally.

I do buy eggs from free-range chickens, buy fish with one of those sustainability badges, occasionally buy organic meat. But I don't buy say organic milk or müsli or juice. And while I would rather pick local fruits, there are just no kiwis or bananas from local production.

I don't buy fair trade as I think that's a scam that mainly benefits the first world vendors who give only very little of the price premium to the producers.

Religious labels like halal or kosher don't mean anything to me as I am not religious.

[Slargos]

I take into account ideology when shopping where it's reasonable to do so.

Lately I've started a boycott of Norwegian dairy products since they are simply insane in their toll and subsidy policies, but of course this is both very difficult and in the grand scheme of things pointless. Basically, I try to buy milk, eggs and cheese while in Sweden but frankly unless I completely stop consuming milk, it's not going to be a very effective boycott. 

I go out of my way not to buy "ecological" since frankly it is a far more destructive way to produce foodstuffs than large-scale industrial farming.

[Josquius]

I'm too poor to have morals.

[Sheilbh]

I buy free range eggs (and chicken), only buy meat from a butcher (so I don't have a lot) and I check what fish's sustainable.

[Admiral Yi]

I like the idea of dolphin free tuna, but I think everything sold in the states these days is dolphin free so I don't have to check.

[Norgy]

I used to be a twat and bought only the politically correct stuff.
Nowadays, calories count more than ecology when I choose my food. That said, I buy free-range when available and local veg during summer.

I do tend to buy clothes that aren't explicitly made in sweatshops and try to avoid Chinese-made stuff. On the other hand, the link between democratisation and increased wealth is at least a very strong correlation, so maybe buying stuff made by nimble little slave hands is a long-term investment in democracy. 
Being an informed customer is hard.

[CountDeMoney]

I buy free range eggs (and chicken),

Like Dennis Miller once said:  if it winds up on your plate, exactly how free was the range?

[Monoriu]

Never.  I only consider price and quality.  Beggers can't be choosers. 

[Neil]

I buy free range eggs (and chicken),

Like Dennis Miller once said:  if it winds up on your plate, exactly how free was the range?

Miller is a wise man, and funny to boot.

Back on topic, the only thing that really factors in is hatred and brand-loyalty.  For example, years ago Toyota ran an advertising campaign that tried to pump up Canadian nationalism with a little song (and in movie theatres, another heinous crime), and so I decided I would never own a Toyota.  I don't like the pseudo-religious douchebaggery that surrounds certain Apple consumers, so I tend to avoid their products (although I did buy an iPod way back when).  When I buy a car, I've had good experiences with Ford, so I buy more Fords.

Social consciousness shopping, eco-shopping, those sorts of things are for weirdos.

[Martinus]

Never.  I only consider price and quality.  Beggers can't be choosers.

I'm shocked and surprised.

[Razgovory]

No, I'm not that stupid.

[Ed Anger]

I know somebody that is one of those 'only buys food grown within 100 miles'. She is a total loon. I feel sorry for her kids.

[Eddie Teach]

I buy cheap Chinese goods and factory meats. 

[mongers]

I buy a lot of my food from an upmarket workers co-operative ( :gasp: ) , it's Waitrose the UK's 5th largest supermarket group.

Actually the main reason is, though the prices are slightly higher, generally the food is better quality.

I avoid Tesco like the plague, not because they're 'the man', but in any given market it's always unwise to support or enable one player to gain a dominant position, which Tesco is coming close to achieving.