Shop sustainably

Sustainable shopping recognises that everything we buy has health, environmental and social impacts. Align your shopping habits with what is important to you. Avoid products and services that don't measure up to your values.

Consider the entire life cycle of a product:

  • the raw materials used to create it
  • the manufacturing process
  • the packaging used for display or shipping
  • any transportation costs required throughout its life cycle
  • disposal at the end of its life.

Why shop sustainably?

There are many reasons to shop sustainably, including benefits to you, the environment and other people.

Protect the environment

Sustainably produced food and products have less negative impact on the environment. This includes fewer chemical pesticides, a greater diversity of plants, less consumption of fossil fuels and sustainably sourced raw material.

Promote health

Sustainable farming focuses on producing healthy food. This means fewer pesticides, chemicals, additives and preservatives, which are toxic to our waterways and our health. Sustainable food will also be of higher quality because of the way the animals are treated, such as the space they have and the quality of food they are fed. Sustainable gifts and sustainable fashion minimise pollution and the use of raw materials, energy and water.

Support local business and employment

Part of shopping sustainably is shopping locally as much as possible. This means your money goes to Victorian or Australian farms and businesses, and that supports the local economy and boosts employment.

Protect workers

What are the workplace conditions of the staff who worked to produce the clothes or food you buy? How do they compare with Australian standards? Buying things like Fairtrade encourages fair wages and safe working environments wherever the product is produced.

Promote animal welfare

Sustainable shopping considers the welfare of animals throughout their lives, including the way they are managed immediately prior to and during slaughter.

Types of sustainable shopping

Reduce packaging
Packaging takes a lot of energy, water and other natural resources to produce, and packaging waste pollutes our air, water and soil.
Shop locally
With a little thought you can reduce your shopping miles, minimising energy expenditure and emissions that contribute to climate change.
Shop sustainably for fashion
Sustainable fashion considers the environmental, social and health impact of the design, manufacture and disposal of clothing, footwear and accessories.
Shop sustainably for food
The food we eat makes a bigger contribution to our ecological footprint than our home energy use and transport combined.
Shop sustainably for gifts
Sustainable gifting minimises the amount of unwanted gifts and waste associated with these gifts.
How to be sustainable this Christmas
Events like Christmas often include a lavish meal and gifts, with the potential for wasted food, unwanted presents and a great deal of unnecessary packaging.