[divider_flat] CFA member Ethical Consumers Australia has launched a new online service, Checking it Twice, was launched today to help Australians choose gifts that are great for their family and friends and also do good for the issues they care about.
Checking it Twice provides free personalised gift advice for everyone who wants their gift choices to benefit the environment, animal welfare, fair trade and other social issues.
The innovative service from not-for-profit group Ethical Consumers Australia also features hundreds of ideas on how to source alternative gifts that deliver positive change in Australia and in developing countries.
Spokesman Gordon Renouf said more and more people are thinking about the impact of their spending and the meaning of the presents they give, they just need better information to spark their gift giving imagination.
“The Christmas spirit is about sharing and choosing gifts that show you care. Well thought-out gifts send a powerful message about your values , and have a positive impact on the wider world.” said Mr Renouf.
Checking it Twice works by letting consumers enter info about who the gift is for, their budget, the issues they care about and even the sort of present they have in mind.
The service contacts them within a few hours with two or three gift suggestions that match their needs. New ideas are then put on the website to help others make better gift decisions.
“Using the service also helps spreads ideas about the kind of world we want to live in wrapped up with the gift itself,” said Mr Renouf
The service will also help address the problem of choosing a gift that is not right for the reciever. Last year an estimated 14.3 million unwanted presents were received in Australia according to classifieds website Gumtree.
“We hope the service will also reduce waste at Christmas by helping people choose something that the recipient will really appreciate.”
Checking it Twice makes suggestions for both mainstream and niche brands that are making a change to benefit the earth, people and animals.
Checking it Twice is not an online shopand has no affiliation to any retailer or any other organisation. The service is provided by not-for-profit consumer group, Ethical Consumers Australia which exists to make it easier for people to make consumer choices that align with their values.