10 Eco-Friendly & Ethical Amazon Alternatives

If you’re searching for eco-friendly and ethical alternatives to Amazon, you’re in luck! I’ve rounded up a collection of more sustainable online marketplaces that cater to nearly all your needs.

While Amazon has revolutionised the way we shop, its expansion has come with a host of well-documented ethical issues and tax avoidance schemes. From labour rights issues to environmental impacts, the true cost of our convenience shopping habits extends far beyond the price tag.

Research by Ethical Consumer has calculated that, in 2021, up to half a billion pounds (£500,000,000) could have been lost to the UK public purse from the corporation tax avoidance of Amazon.

I did some research myself, questioning ‘Is shopping on Amazon eco-friendly?‘ and concluded that despite their sustainability reports aiming for the company to have a ‘net positive impact’ on the world, Amazon is not eco-friendly.

Ready to wield your purchasing power for good? From plastic-free shops to natural and organic marketplaces, these options offer guilt-free shopping without sacrificing convenience or budget.

I’ve also given each shop a ‘best for’ rating, based on what I think they offer the best choice of.

Friendly Turtle stands out as an ethical and eco-conscious online retailer, boasting an extensive inventory of over 1,700 sustainable products catering to everyday home essentials.

The company meticulously researches and vets the brands they stock. From organic skincare and natural toiletries to an array of offerings spanning bathroom, kitchen, gifting, and on-the-go products, Friendly Turtle delivers a diverse collection.

And here’s one of the best bits: they’re not just middleman. They actually stock everything they sell, making them the real deal in a sea of dropshipping wannabes. All their orders are delivered in 2-3 days in fully recyclable packaging.

They will also price-match every single branded product if you contact them which is amazing!

On top of that, there’s a 15% student discount, and for all shoppers, there’s a loyalty points scheme where you can redeem points for discounts on future orders.

What they sell

Ethical Superstore is one of the biggest and perhaps well-known online retailers for eco-friendly and ethical shopping in the UK. With a diverse range of fair trade, organic, vegan, and eco-friendly products, they’re paving the way for ethical consumption.

But it’s not just about the products—it’s about the people behind them. Ethical Superstore is on a mission to support small UK businesses, and businesses in developing countries, by ensuring fair prices at every step of the supply chain.

They are my pick as the best all-rounder, as they seem to have a humongous range, particularly in the cleaning and household essentials department. They also have a lot groceries and also pet products, which I find are often overlooked when looking for sustainable products.

Ethical Superstore has a really useful feature that allows you to filter products based on your values and requirements— whether it’s organic, fair trade, vegan, gluten-free, biodegradable, and many more. I think this makes the shopping experience much easier and should be used in other online stores.

My one reservation is that you will find quite a few products that may be more ethical than your everyday items but might not meet the sustainability standards for some people. For instance, a lot of the groceries they stock are packaged in single-use plastics.

The Social Supermarket is one of the only alternatives here that caters to both businesses and individuals. They are one of the UK’s largest marketplaces that offers products from social enterprises and purpose-driven brands that tackle pressing human and environmental issues head-on.

The Social Supermarket goes the extra mile to verify the impact of these businesses through trusted third parties like Good Market, SEUK, and B Corp. So, you can shop with confidence knowing your money is going where it matters most.

Their platform can provide businesses with socially responsible branded merchandise, corporate gifts and hampers, office supplies and even employee rewards. To help businesses meet their ESG initiatives, Social Supermarket also provides impact reports on company purchases, including statistics like employment created for refugees, and money donated to charities.

For individuals it aims to simplify the shopping experience for socially conscious consumers, offering a wide variety of products—from food to fashion, beauty, and homewares— each highlighting its social or environmental impact.

Here’s the cherry on top: they’re a certified B Corp and also carbon neutral!

What they sell

Life Before Plastic (LB4P) is your go-to destination for all things plastic-free. Founded in 2018 by the sisters, Trina and Charlie, LB4P was founded with the mission to create a shop where it’s simple and affordable to buy plastic-free alternatives to everyday items.

With a range of over 100 independent UK brands, LB4P make shopping for zero-waste products a breeze. Every product is handpicked with care, ensuring each product is sustainable, sourced from UK-based businesses, and is a solution to the single-use plastic crisis.

Their store sells most of your everyday household essentials, as well as toiletries and even some outdoor equipment! One of my favourite categories was their gifting section, where you can shop by occasion, by recipient, and you can even request a zero-waste wrapping service. Handy!

Trina and Charlie are passionate about supporting small businesses and reducing single-use plastic, and it shows. With 90% of their products being vegan-friendly and plastic-free packaging, they’re leading the charge towards a more eco-friendly future.

Charlie, who has a MSc in Sustainability studies even runs Sustainability & Plastic Pollution Awareness Sessions for workplaces!

All of their packaging is, understandably, plastic-free – even the tape! The boxes they deliver in are often reused and 100% recyclable, meaning their delivery is all zero-waste.

What they sell

As a great ethical alternative to Amazon’s origins as an online book store, Bookshop.org supports local, independent bookstores while offering avid readers an extensive shopping experience.

Here’s how it works: every time you purchase a book on Bookshop.org, 10% of the sale goes into a pool, which is then evenly distributed to independent bookstores every six months. Plus, local bookshops that partner with Bookshop.org earn a generous 30% commission on the sales they generate.

I love independent bookstores, but when they don’t quite have what I’m looking for Bookshop.org is the perfect way to still support them! I’ve even put together a reading list of great zero waste books if you’re interested.

But it’s not just about supporting local businesses— Bookshop.org also empowers authors to earn higher royalties by selling their books through the platform.

So, whether you’re searching for your next literary adventure or looking to support your community bookstore, Bookshop.org has you covered.

What they sell

&Keep provides a range of mindfully selected, eco-friendly, reusable, and sustainable products, including items for cleaning, laundry, and household essentials.

&Keep is dedicated to minimizing the impact of everyday living on the environment, ensuring a brighter future for generations to come. Their products are predominantly plastic-free, with any plastic used being BPA-free and kept to an absolute minimum. Plus, they’re proud to say that their products are cruelty-free, and their packaging is entirely plastic-free.

Their product range includes some of their own branded products as well as some popular brands such as Salt of the Earth, Green People, and Oceansaver.

What makes &Keep a great Amazon alternative is its Subscribe & Save feature: where you can choose the order frequency and quantity you want and receive a discount on your orders!

What they sell

VEO is one of my favourite Amazon alternatives for ethical shopping. With a curated selection of over 350 independent brands, VEO ensures every product meets their award-winning criteria for sustainability, ethical production, and environmental friendliness.

VEO is dedicated to providing products that are kind to humans, animals, and the planet. From fashion and beauty to food & drink, wellness, and home goods, their diverse range of brands spans across various categories, ensuring something for everyone with a conscience.

The website is one of the most extensive on this list and could serve as the only alternative you’ll need, but to highlight a unique aspect about them is their vast range of clothing.

As well as Men’s and Women’s clothing, they also offer shoes, jewellery, accessories, bags, sunglasses, children’s clothing, and lots more.

And the accolades speak for themselves: VEO has been recognized as a Certified B Corp and awarded the prestigious “Best for the World” title by Ethical Consumer for four years in a row.

So, if you’re ready to shop with purpose and make a positive impact, VEO is one of my top recommendations.

What they sell

Wild & Stone, the eco-chic online haven for conscious shoppers across the UK and Europe. Their mission is to help you reduce plastic with their range of reusable, sustainable, and aesthetic alternatives to conventional plastic items.

From organic cotton tea towels to sleek bamboo toothbrushes and plastic-free hair ties (which I’ve got and they are long-lasting!), they’ve got all your eco-essentials covered.

What makes Wild & Stone different to our other Amazon alternatives is that they are a brand, rather than a reseller. All of their products are created ethically, ensuring minimal social and environmental impact from design to your arrival at your doorstep.

You’ll find that most of their products are made from bamboo and organic materials that are FSC and OEKO-TEX® certified. On top of that it all comes packaged recyclable materials.

Their loyalty programme is an easy way to get discounts on future orders, just signing up gives you £2 off!

Last but not least: every order helps to support the Marine Conservation Society, and they have so far raised over £13,000! Kudos Wild & Stone.

What they sell

Big Green Smile is a great ethical Amazon alternative for natural and organic beauty and personal care products. With a commitment to sustainability and ethics, they’ve curated a selection of great sustainable brands, ensuring every product meets their high standards.

What makes them unique is that they have a long list of banned ingredients, so you can shop with confidence knowing their products are free from harmful chemicals. Plus, they’re proudly against animal testing, because cruelty has no place in any beauty routine.

And it doesn’t stop there. Big Green Smile is leading the charge towards a greener future with its eco-friendly packaging, which is 100% biodegradable. They’re also on a mission to make their logistics operations completely plastic-free by the end of 2024—now that’s a commitment!

Their Email Newsletter is one of the very few that’s actually worthwhile signing up for: every month there are exclusive vouchers and a prize draw with a chance to win expensive bundles!

What they sell

Planet Organic stands as a prominent British supermarket chain specializing in organic and health-focused food products. Established in 1995, it holds the distinction of being the UK’s largest fully certified organic supermarket, boasting over 8,000 product lines across its stores.

With ten operational stores in London and nationwide delivery services, Planet Organic extends its commitment to health promotion, ethical treatment of individuals and the planet, and community support. The company actively engages in supporting local causes, extending discounts to students and NHS staff, and championing diversity and inclusion through initiatives like supported internships for young people with learning difficulties.

Collaborations with charities underline their dedication to providing training and development opportunities for securing employment and building brighter futures.

What they sell

---

I can’t deny that I don’t use Amazon – they’re extremely convenient and Amazon do stock lots of eco-friendly products that I would recommend. But I will concede there are much better retailers that I can and should be using, and like me hopefully you’ll be using more of these retailers in future!