Amazon often presents itself as a quick, easy and cheap option for bridging short term needs. This is why it makes sense that so many students want to make use of their services, however with the unethical operations of Amazon, there are huge reasons for you to look to alternative options when shopping. Here are just some examples of what Amazon are doing to put themselves first, over the world that we live in: 

Tax Avoidance  

Paying tax in the UK means funding fundamental services to us as citizens. Such as Health and Welfare (NHS), Education, Public Safety, Social services and so much more. It is estimated that amazon avoided paying around £433 million in tax in 2023, which is a sum totalling to around 10% of the total investment into healthcare that year (which was £420 billion). When we see the underfunded NHS, with huge waiting times for vital surgeries, it could be said that they would be in a slightly better place if Amazon were to pay the correct amount of tax. 

Amazon’s £433 million unpaid tax would equate to:   

1,443,333 additional winter fuel payments of £300 this year to help with rising fuel bills, or 

12,735 additional nurses, or 

61,857 home insulation installations at £7,000 each 

Instead, Amazon makes use of a subsidiary in Luxemburg, the overall tax sum Amazon instead paid in 2023 as a result, was estimated to be £18 million...  

Why would you support an organization that does not want to support you? 

Workers’ Rights Abuses  

The monopoly in which Amazon operate, does so through thousands of employees, many students even pick-up part-time jobs at Amazon warehouses. Amazon have been subject to reports of impossible ‘time-per-package' targets; pervasive worker surveillance in warehouses; pregnant employees having to stand for 10 hours at a time; repeated worker injuries; and employees having to urinate in bottles for fear of taking breaks.  

There was even an Amazon delivery driver who wrote “I pee in a coffee cup every day, I have had termination or write up threats weekly. I go home in pain every day.” 

Then there was Chris Smalls, who organised a walk out due to the unsafe working conditions through the Covid-19 pandemic. Only a week later, Chris Smalls was fired. Amazon have had multiple reports of firing employees for speaking out about Amazons unsafe and unfair practices.  

Why would you choose to support a company who does not support their employees? 

Green Washing and Harmful Enviromental Practices 

Amazon utilize their high-tech services to help fossil fuel companies find more oil and gas. In August 2022 Bloomberg reported that Amazon were a silent beneficiary of the boom in oil and gas prices we all got hit by. This was due to Amazon running simulations on how efficient drills would be, and how to make oil companies more effective. In addition to this, they sponsored an event that mass spread misinformation about climate change.  

Now, Amazon are now expanding into the nuclear industry, In October 2024 it announced that it “signed three new agreements to support the development of nuclear energy projects”—including enabling the construction of several new Small Modular Reactors.  

This is hidden from the public, and Amazon utilize tactics to make you believe they are having a positive effect on the environment. These include:  

Amazon “drastically undercounts” its carbon emissions 

Amazon uses greenwashing eco labels 

Amazon promotes its ‘Climate Pledge’ while supporting oil and gas extraction 

Amazon says it is working towards net zero, but its emissions have increased 

Amazon’s commitment to renewable energy is not all that it seems 

Amazon are deciding to destroy our planet, why would you decide to support their business? 

Will Boycotting Amazon Make a Difference? 

Since the boycott campaign was started by ‘ethicalconsumer’, tax, worker and anti-racism support groups have joined on the initiative, to push Amazon towards a better practice.  

Some of these movements have seen major success. In 2019, New York activists successfully drove Amazon away from the city where it had planned to build an HQ2 in return for almost $3 million in tax deals. In 2017, Amazon was ordered to repay €250 million in tax by the EU – although it successfully appealed the fine earlier in 2021. In May 2021, the European Parliament challenged Jeff Bezos over Amazon’s union-busting and spying on workers. In March 2021, Bezos confessed, "we need to do a better job for Amazon employees.” 

Summary 

Alternative options to Amazon include Ethical Superstore, Vinted, and many other options listed on The Good Shopping Guide ( https://thegoodshoppingguide.com/ ).  

For more detailed information on what is covered here:  

https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ethicalcampaigns/boycott-amazon

https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/retailers/ten-reasons-avoid-amazon