Navigating ethical dilemmas in the contemporary food landscape: challenges, perspectives, and paths forward

Abstract

In the contemporary capitalist landscape, where entities within the Industrial Food System (IFS) are predominantly profit-driven, consumers grapple a sense of defeat when attempting to align their food choices with ethical considerations. Issues including the abusing of animals, the exploitation of labour, the inaccessibility of healthy foods and extensive environmental degradation put us consumers in a spot when it comes to making ethically informed food choices. By examining various arguments, I will critically assess various perspectives and arguments surrounding the feasibility of consumers making ethical food choices, particularly in light of the aforementioned issues. Moreover, in a world where the ethical dimensions of food production are receiving diminishing attention, it appears highly demanding for consumers to make ethical food choices. This raises another fundamental question: Should consumers even be concerned with prioritising ethical considerations in their food choices in the first place?