In making everyday purchases shoppers are often more interested in the price of a bunch of bananas than where it comes from.
A study by the Turku School of Economics indicates that about one third of consumers considers the ethical nature of products to be an important factor in making purchases.
However, environmentally friendly choices are made by over half of consumers. Only a few - one in ten - will turn down a purchase in because of a potential negative effect on the environment.
Consumers are also receiving more support in making ethical shopping choices: the Finnish Consumers Association is now offering conscientious shoppers a telephone hotline to guide ethical choices.
Queries posed to the telephone service include questions such as whether a certain kind of carpet has been made using child labour, what is the average consumption of a certain kind of car, or requests for the names of environmentally friendly laundry detergents.
Although ethics don't yet play a major role in consumers' purchasing decisions, there is a clear shift in that direction.
YLE