CONSUMER spending on “ethical” goods has almost tripled in the last decade, according to the Co-op Bank.

Their annual ethical consumerism report shows that ethical spending in Britain has grown from £13.5 billion in 1999 to £36 billion ten years later.

Fairtrade products lead the charge with just £22 million spent on them in 1999, compared to £635 million last year.

Spending on “green” products, such as light bulbs and rechargeable batteries, has increased by five times, from £1.4 billion in 1999 to £7 billion.

The controversial financial services market has also seen ethical banking and investments triple over the course of the decade.

Now, half of all adults say they have bought goods primarily on ethical grounds in the past year.

Average household spending on ethical food and drink has increased from £81 a year to £244 in the last decade.

But overall, the market for environmentally friendly goods, that are sustainable or support poor communities is still less than one per cent (more than £6 billion) of the £891billion spent by households last year.