Is being an ethical consumer a privilege? What a £2.50 Primark T-shirt makes us question!

Two Teachers
4 days ago
2 min read

This photo looks like I’ve just signed for Primark FC… but really it was a £2.50 T-shirt that stopped me in my tracks.

At first glance, that price feels unreal. In a cost-of-living squeeze, a £2.50 T-shirt feels accessible, reassuring, and hard to argue with.

But it also raises some uncomfortable business ethics questions.

How can a T-shirt cost £2.50?
Who actually benefits from that price?
And who might be paying the cost elsewhere?

That’s where the Business thinking starts.

Why prices like this feel so appealing

When money is tight, low prices matter. For many consumers, affordability comes before anything else.

A £2.50 T-shirt lowers the risk of buying. It feels like an easy decision. You do not need to think too hard, compare alternatives, or justify the purchase. It simply feels sensible.

From a Business point of view, this makes a lot of sense. Primark attracts customers by offering prices that feel almost unbeatable, especially when budgets are stretched.

But that does not mean the ethical questions disappear.

Is ethical consumption a luxury?

Buying ethically often comes with a higher price tag. Clothing made using fair wages, safer working conditions, or more sustainable materials usually costs more. For some consumers, paying £20 or £30 for a T-shirt is a realistic option. For others, it simply is not.

That raises an important question for Business students. Is being an ethical consumer something everyone can afford, or is it a privilege mainly available to those with higher disposable incomes?

When budgets are tight, ethical concerns can be pushed aside. Not because people do not care, but because price becomes the deciding factor.

Who is responsible?

This is where Business ethics becomes complicated.

Should responsibility sit with consumers, who choose what to buy?

Or with businesses, who control prices, supply chains, and working conditions?

Or does responsibility sit with governments and regulators, who set the rules businesses operate within?

Primark’s £2.50 T-shirt highlights how these responsibilities overlap. Businesses respond to consumer demand, but they also shape that demand through pricing strategies.

As incomes fall, do ethical choices change?

Rising living costs put pressure on households. When essentials take up more of people’s income, spending on clothing often becomes about affordability, not ethics.

This makes it worth questioning whether ethical expectations placed on consumers are realistic during times of financial pressure.

Do people become less ethical, or are they simply left with fewer choices?

Final thought

A £2.50 T-shirt feels like a win for the customer. But it also highlights how complex business ethics can be. Low prices can increase access and affordability, while also raising questions about sustainability, labour, and responsibility.

Which makes you wonder whether being an ethical consumer is always a choice… or sometimes a privilege.

Questions to think about as a business student

Do you think being an ethical consumer is a privilege? Use the £2.50 Primark T-shirt as an example.
Who should be most responsible for ethical behaviour in the clothing industry: consumers, businesses, or governments? Explain your answer.