Is Ethical Consumerism an Impermissible Form of Vigilantism?

Ethical consumerism has been around for a long time: many Americans protested against the Stamp Act of by refusing to buy tea and other British goods. In recent years, however, it has become an increasingly prominent feature of social life as new forms of technology have allowed consumers to use their choices in the marketplace to address various environmental, labor, and trade concerns. Surprisingly, people have paid relatively little attention to the moral issues raised by ethical consumerism. Suppose that consumers are morally permitted to use their buying power to pressure companies to treat animals better or to reduce carbon emissions. Does this mean that they can also pressure pharmacies not to stock the “morning after” pill? Can they pressure Walmart not to sell books or music they find offensive? Even in cases where consumers are pressuring companies to do the right thing, do their actions amount to an impermissible form of vigilantism? In this article, I examine the morality of one type of ethical consumerism. Some ethical consumerism aims to change wider social behavior and practices. This type raises an important question about the boundary between the public and private spheres. Most philosophers believe that we are morally permitted to pursue our own ends in the market,