Problematizing “ethical eating”: the role of policy in an ethical food system

Abstract

ABSTRACT The concept of “ethical eating” has become prominent within public discourse. It refers to a form of ethical consumption whereby consumers can feel that they have directly impacted the food system through their food choices. However, the terms and practices often used to define “ethical eating” are incomplete and exclude other ethical issues within the food system that are more complex and have less clear solutions than those offered through ethical consumption. Through a content analysis of 100 newspaper and magazine articles discussing the practice of “ethical eating,” as well as a review of literature on this topic, this article argues that issues within the food system cannot be solved through ethical consumption alone. Instead, there must be an increased role for public policy to address ethical concerns within the food system. Through examining organic, meat-avoidant, fair trade, and local diets as the most frequently mentioned terms associated with “ethical eating,” three case studies are presented highlighting the tensions associated with access to eating ethically, Indigenous food sovereignty, and production of ethical food. This paper argues that addressing these ethical issues requires public policy to tackle the root causes and ensure all are served within the food system.