Description
Ethical Superstore is a British online shop that sells only products with at least one ethical credential, such as fair trade, organic or eco-friendly, from food and cleaning products to clothes, toys and gifts.
It belongs to Spark Etail Ltd, a private company in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, which bought it in 2011 and also runs Natural Collection, Spirit of Nature and the Amnesty Shop. Each product has to fit at least one of seven categories: fair trade, organic, eco-friendly, education, health and wellness, locally produced or charity. According to the shop, most carry a certification from bodies such as the Soil Association or Fairtrade. Smaller brands are accepted on the shop’s own standards. Filters show Fairtrade, certified organic, vegan, cruelty-free and recycled products, and the gift pages are sorted by price, under £10, £20 or £30.
Orders are packed in reused or recycled boxes with paper padding instead of bubble wrap. Standard delivery costs £0.99 under £60 and is free above that (checked November 2026). It ships to the UK only, as delivery to Ireland was suspended. Ethical Consumer scores Spark Etail 56 in its eco supermarkets guide.
Strengths
- One basket can hold fair trade coffee, organic food, refills and gifts, with labels shown as filters.
- Packaging is recycled or reused cardboard and paper, with no plastic bubble wrap.
- Delivery is cheap: £0.99 under £60 and free above.
Weaknesses
- “Eco-friendly” and “education” are broad categories, and some products are listed on the shop’s own standards without a label.
- It is a private company, and Ethical Consumer, which rates it, earns a commission on the sales it sends there.
- Standard delivery goes through Evri, and the shop ships only within the UK.
Who it is for
People in the UK who want to order gifts and groceries online without Amazon and want to filter by label rather than check each brand.
Sources
- Ethical Superstore: vision, delivery, packaging (checked November 2026)
- Ethical Consumer: Spark Etail Ltd company profile
- Ethical Consumer: Eco supermarkets shopping guide
- PitchBook: Ethical Superstore overview