Online Shopping – Alternatives to Amazon, Temu and AliExpress
Sometimes it can be hard to break free from the big, bad online shopping brands when you’re looking for that one book, or that quirky little gift. Take a look at our guide to more ethical, eco-friendly online shopping to learn where you can find all the things you need in better places!
This article contains affiliate links (marked with *).
Bookshop.org – Books
Bookshop.org supports local bookshops, raising over £3,000,000 for them at the time of writing. It’s also a certified B corporation, which means they’re ethical and environmentally responsible.
Ethical Superstore – Wide Range
Ethical superstore sell a huge range of products including groceries, cleaning products, clothing, home & garden decorations, beauty products, baby products, gifts, pet food and more. We would consider most of the brands sold there to be eco-friendly.
Etsy – Quirky Gifts
Etsy is a marketplace where people come to buy and sell handmade, vintage and custom goods. The website is chock-full of great gift ideas made by individuals and small businesses – and the whole website is powered by 100% renewable energy! You’ll need to check with each supplier to make sure the products are truly eco-friendly.
Hive – Books & Entertainment
Hive started as an online bookstore giving money back to local bookshops, but now they’ve expanded to sell CDs, DVDs, Vinyls, Gifts and Stationery. Some products there aren’t inherently environmentally-friendly, but use your judgement wisely and Hive can be a great place to buy ethical gifts.
Plastic Freedom – Wide Range
Plastic Freedom started small with big dreams, and they’ve definitely all come true. It’s a vibrant, sprawling online marketplace with beauty products, cleaning products, clothes, accessories, furniture, tech goods and more. The vast majority of products there are either plastic-free or recycled.
Social Supermarket – Wide Range
Social supermarket sell a big range of products including cosmetics, toys, stationery, kitchenware, clothes, accessories, food, drink and gifts. They’re a certified B corporation, which means they’re ethical and environmentally responsible.