We all want to believe that we're doing the right thing. We buy fair trade chocolate, we frequent independent shops, we cycle to work, we feed the birds. But in vast swathes of our daily lives as consumers there is very little to point us in the right direction and we rely on trust. We trust retailers to do the digging for us, to know that the factory isn't using forced labour, to be sensible with hazardous waste, to know what they're selling and to be honest about it. In doing so we enter into a compact - we'll go quietly if you don't diddle us.
The horse meat issue is a harsh reminder that, for some retailers, that contract is flexible. That in the in the pursuit of profit they are willing to abuse the trust of consumers.
So, as consumers, what do we do? Maybe its time we we went a little less quietly and took a little more responsibility for finding out. Perhaps not to
this extent but it never hurts to ask.
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