What does it mean when consumers "shop with a conscience" and choose products labeled as fair or sustainable? Does this translate into meaningful changes in global production processes? To what extent are voluntary standards implemented and enforced, and can they really govern global industries? Looking behind the Label presents an informative introduction to global production and ethical consumption, tracing the links between consumers' choices and the practices of multinational producers and retailers. Case studies of several types of products—wood and paper, food, apparel and footwear, and electronics—are used to reveal what lies behind voluntary rules and to critique predominant assumptions about ethical consumption as a form of political expression.

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This clear and objective study challenges strategists to reevaluate where the sources of power really reside and how these sources can be more effectively marshaled.

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This book will prove useful for graduate students in environmental management, sociology, and business departments, as well as policy makers and researchers investigating topics of consumption, corporate social responsibility, social movements, and environmental justice. It balances depth and breadth quite successfully, and incorporates empirical evidence and current literature to support discussions on conscientious consumerism.

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Looking Behind the Label is a testament to the value of collaborative work that draws together scholars whose expertise is closely related—in this case, expertise on regulatory and governance structures for a range of global commodities—but distinct enough to add both depth and breadth to the analysis. . . . This is a fine, if sobering, contribution to our knowledge about consumption, market governance, and the realities of global production.

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Looking Behind the Label is an important contribution to the literature on ethical consumption or political consumerism, and, more broadly, will be of interest to scholars and students of consumption, social movements, and global value chains.

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Recommended.

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Ultimately, the book moves readers away from individualistic stances on saving the world through buying 'socially responsible' products, to a much more critical sociological perspective by forcing us to look at how our political and economic structures can be the deepest source of international human rights violations and environmental degradation.

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As a collaborative project, Looking behind the Label benefits from the combined interdisciplinary expertise, making this a valuable contribution to the social sciences. . . . Reading this book can be an eye-opening experience for a variety of audiences from students of various levels to academics teaching and researching across the social sciences.