Ethical purchasing is important, but it's not always easy to prioritize in the supermarket.
Take free range eggs vs cage eggs, for example. We all know that cage eggs are ethically problematic, but it can be hard to justify paying more for free range eggs when you're on a tight budget. Here's the thing, though: consumer choice alone is not enough to drive ethical behavior at a large scale. We need a systemic solution that incentivizes ethical behavior and disincentivizes unethical behavior. And that solution could be taxation policy.
The issues with commercial egg production
Let's talk about eggs. We all know they're a staple in many households, but have you ever stopped to consider where your eggs come from? The truth is, not all eggs are created equal.
Cage eggs are the norm in many commercial operations, but they come at a steep cost. Hens are kept in tiny cages that barely allow them to move, let alone express their natural behaviors. They're deprived of sunlight, fresh air, and the opportunity to socialize with other chickens. And to make matters worse, the overcrowded conditions in which they're kept can lead to the spread of disease and other health problems.
On the other hand, free range eggs are produced in a much more ethical manner. The hens are allowed to roam freely, with access to the outdoors and plenty of space to move around. This not only improves their quality of life, but also leads to healthier, more flavorful eggs. Plus, free range farming practices are generally more sustainable and better for the environment.
But here's the catch: free range eggs are often more expensive than their cage counterparts. And when you're on a tight budget, it can be tough to justify spending extra on eggs, even if you know it's the ethical thing to do.
Context is critical
In situations where competing products are largely indistinguishable from one another, we often fall back on lowest price.
Does this mean that our ethics are flexible or easily ignored?
Not necessarily.
When it comes to making ethical purchasing decisions, context matters. While we may feel strongly about the treatment of chickens when watching a news story from the comfort of our couch, the context of a busy supermarket – with bills and budgets to consider, competing demands, kids to wrangle and a whole host of other factors – is quite different.
Simply put, we just don't always deeply consider the ethical considerations of every purchase, every time.
In a market-driven economy, prices are often the primary factor influencing purchasing decisions. This can create a race to the bottom, where producers cut corners and engage in unethical practices in order to offer the lowest prices. But taxation policy can be a powerful tool for shifting the price baseline in favor of ethical choices.
Taxation driving ethical choices
Taxation policy can play a powerful role in driving ethical purchasing. By offering tax concessions to free range egg producers, and imposing higher taxes or excise taxes on cage egg producers, we can shift the price baseline to make free range eggs cheaper than cage eggs.
This not only makes ethical products more accessible and affordable for consumers, but also incentivizes producers to adopt more sustainable and ethical practices.
Of course, there are potential challenges to implementing such a policy. For example, it may be difficult to accurately determine which producers qualify for tax concessions and which do not. There may also be concerns about the potential for unintended consequences, such as an increase in illegal or unregulated egg production. But these challenges are not insurmountable, and with careful planning and implementation, taxation policy can be an effective tool for driving ethical purchasing.
Ultimately, the goal of this sort of taxation policy is not to punish unethical producers, but to create a system in which ethical choices are the default. By making it more affordable and accessible for consumers to choose free range eggs over cage eggs, we can create a more just and sustainable food system for all.
