Government wants to encourage ethical choices by consumers. A new consumer policy aims to better manage topical concerns such as climate change by encouraging buyers to purchase on the basis of principle, more than price.
Consumers in Finland are quite savvy about questions of ethical purchases and often prefer to buy domestic products. Many even favour organic produce, although they may have to pay more for it.
Government shares the same view about how people should buy. A new policy directive aims at encouraging municipalities to purchase more food produced close to home in the future. The authorities plan to push ethical choices in other areas such as power consumption and housing.
Labour Minister Tarja Cronberg says if government supports changes in heating systems so that homes with electrical or oil heating can convert to biofuel heating, then consumers will have more options that include environmentally-friendly choices.
Government's ultimate aim is to promote sustainable consumption habits, primarily to help stall climate change. The Minister says the state wants to make it easier for consumers to acquire environmentally friendly goods and services, while encouraging economic growth. As far as this Minister is concerned, a change in consumption culture to greener habits is inevitable.
Government's planned consumer policy programme is expected to last until the year 2011.