Exploring the 'ethical everyday': An ethnography of the ethics of family consumption

Using ethnographic research with six families in the North West of England (2007-2009), this paper opens up the 'black box' of everyday ethical consumption by adding colour and form to these everyday experiences. While recent geographical literature has recognised the ethical considerations that are implicit in everyday consumption practices, there is a noticeable void of research that explores and fleshes out the everyday ethical actions of individuals and families as consumers. By exploring the everyday ethics of money, waste and health choices in family consumption practices, this paper makes the case for recognising the ethical nature of everyday practices and choices of consumption. It is argued that rather than consumers subscribing to a given set of ethics in consumption, there are multiple ways of recognising consumption as an ethically-embedded process.

► The concept of the 'ethical everyday' is used to explore family consumption practices. ► Ethical consumption discourses are dismissive of the ethics in everyday consumption. ► The paper is based on ethnographic research with six families in NW England. ► The findings explore the ethics of money, waste and health in everyday consumption. ► There are multiple ways of recognising consumption as an ethically-embedded process.