The Student’s Union at UWE align ourselves with being anti Amazon- we avoid using the website and we recommend our students do the same, or cut back on their Amazon use.

Amazon can be a convenient alluring option, especially with the option of next day delivery, it only makes sense that so many students want to make use of the online store. However, with the unethical operations of Amazon, here are just a few reasons as to why you should look to alternative options when shopping.

Working conditions

Employees have reported their terrible working conditions, claiming they are ‘treated worse than the robots doing automated tasks in the warehouses’, that they are questioned and penalised for toilet breaks and often return home in pain from the non stop repetitive work.

Some quotes from former employees

‘It is an awful place to work, can’t breathe or voice and opinion, feel like a trapped animal with lack of support and respect. Not human they treat you as if you are a robot’

‘I have the shoulder pain for a few months. I had physio but didn't help too much. I damaged my back and right shoulder muscles doing stow by trying to hit the rates around 280 items/hour. The same movements (repetitive) make the pain very bad.’

‘I am pregnant and made to stand and work for 10hrs without a chair, they constantly mention my idle time and they are telling me to work hard even though they know I am pregnant. I am feeling depressed when at work.’

Tax Avoidance

The corporation tax Amazon pays is shockingly low relative to its high sales volume, this is due to their use of government tax breaks, and use of a subsidiary in Luxemburg. From Ethical Consumer’s estimates ‘Amazon's systematic corporation tax avoidance could have cost UK citizens around £575 million in lost taxes in 2024 alone. This is up from our estimate of a £433 million tax gap in 2023.’

Harmful Environmental Practices

In 2022, Amazon’s reported annual emissions were over 70 million metric tonnes- but this only includes Amazon’s own brand products in that number, covering only around 1% of it’s total online sales; meaning the real number is much higher.

Within the last few years, Amazon have a 'Climate Pledge Friendly' label and have promised to have net zero emissions(removing as many emissions as it produces) by year 2040. It has been found that they are both tactics of greenwashing – the label of 'Climate Pledge Friendly' has been found to be meaningless, having been attached to disposable products, made over 5,000 miles away and packaged in single-use plastic. The net zero claim is going in the opposite direction, with Amazon’s carbon emissions increasing, not decreasing .

What can I do?

The biggest call to action here is to complete stop using Amazon, instead shopping local and sustainable when possible. We recommend supporting your local high street and only shopping online when necessary. Read Save The Student’s article for second hand or high street alterative to Amazon.