Be careful by choosing some EU-companies
Avoiding American companies to express disapproval of US policy is great. However, this could give some European companies a reprieve, whose products you should not buy despite everything, because they have an inhumane corporate policy. My favorite example is Nestle. For them, access to drinking water is not a human right and that's how they act.
I am Swiss. So is Nestlé.
In defense of my country, let me just say
FUCK Nestlé.
Don't buy anything from these criminals.
Yeah, Unilever isn't much greater either. In general trying to go for local, smaller brands would be good IF you can afford it. Of course a lot of people have to go by what is cheapest and most available and that's their right. But now if ever, if someone is resourced enough, it would be good to spend some time on at least taking a look at the brands they have available in their regular grocery stores and try to make responsible choices.
(As someone who has been doing this for a long time, and is low income, it's a bit of an unrewarding pain in the ass but at least I don't have that nagging feeling at the back of my head as much)
Thankfully it seems like EU is at least trying to be stricter about conscious consumer labels etc, limiting green-washing and all that. That makes life a bit easier for those who very understandably don't have tons of time and energy to research every purchase.
Personally I try to go towards store brands for almost anything.
I'm from the Netherlands and currently shop and Jumbo the most. My drinks are all Jumbo, most food is as well. I even have shampoo and bodywash from them. Its all good quality (their conditioner is actually better than an 8 euro branded one for my hair) and much cheaper. They even source their chocolate through Tony Chocolony so even that is ethical.
The only replacement I haven't been able to find sadly is something for my Kellogs Choco Pops (the store brand are plastic in comparison) but its something I can live without so I'm finishing what I have (I had stock) and after that will be trying out random ones.
In the end I'd also like to remind everyone: Don't let perfect stand in the way of good. You do not need to pay attention to everything you buy, just make changes where you can in the long term. We're in a marathon not a sprint.
Isn't Nestle owned by Phillip Morris, an 'Mercan company?
No, it isn't. But Nestlé is the perfect example of a global company which shows why "BuyfromEU" might be problematic. It is based in Europe. But it also sells globally, has offices everywhere and it is owned by people in different countries. So is Nestlé a european company with this shareholder structure?
Are we saying EU as in EUrope or European Union? They are not the same.
Yes, I was completely wrong. I worked in Zug at the not-America PM treasury in the 90s. There was loads of Nestle chocolate available, and other PM products, for everyone so I have a false memory.
It still seems to be a primarily Schweitzer AG in free float. Who owns Nestle (german)
That's mad. I was sure it had been owned but I'm completely wrong. The PM office in Zug where I used to spend time was filled with Nestle so I thought ..
Thank-you for that. It's never been owned by PM.
No