Online marketplace to promote ethical consumerism

The marketplace called "worldofgood.com: an eBay marketplace" has a list of Trust Providers that ensure that products, producers and sellers are meeting a set of 'people positive standards'. The standards set by the marketplace include the empowerment of people involved in the production of the product, the creation of employment and opportunity for marginalised groups, the protection of a trade or crafts that may be dying out and the creation of sustainable economic development. Trust Providers are organisations and associations that provide third party verification and certification and include, amongst others, the Fair Trade Federation, Aid to Artisans, Grassroots Business Initiatives and Phytotrade Africa. It is hoped that consumers will be more willing to purchase products that have been certified ethical by the Trust Providers and that cutting out much of the uncertainty in the world of ethical consumerism will ultimately increase sales. Worldofgood.com is currently inviting sellers and manufacturers of cosmetics, bath and beauty products, home décor and clothing and accessories to register with the marketplace. Although the marketplace will not be opened until the spring, sellers are invited to register now in order to build brand awareness and a consumer base. The marketplace is designed to be the largest marketplace of its kind harnessing the global reach and power of eBay as well as the generally high level of consumer trust in its dealings. Ethical consumerism has been heralded as one of the main trends for 2008 within the cosmetics and personal care sector, riding on the back of the current trend for natural and organic products. The market research company Mintel has predicted that fair trade will expand significantly within the personal care sector in 2008 and is likely to follow the more developed and better regulated path that the food and drink industry has already taken. In addition, companies are coming under greater pressure to look out not only for the human impact of their products but also their environmental impact. Mintel says that this initiative should see companies making environmental claims about their carbon footprint and environmental performance on both product labels and company websites.