Adam Smith Business School

 

Modern slavery is a systemic issue embedded in the global economy. From fashion to food, many of the goods and services we consume are linked, often invisibly, to exploitative labour practices. For over a decade, Professor Deirdre Shaw, with colleagues Dr Michal Carrington, University of Melbourne and Professor Andreas Chatzidakis, Royal Holloway University of London, have conducted research that examines how consumers understand and engage with modern slavery. Their work highlights not only the limits of awareness-raising but also the urgent need to rethink how responsibility is shared across consumers, corporations and governments.

Working with collaborators in the UK, Australia, and Greece, the research team has explored how different publics interpret, rationalise, or resist messages about slavery in supply chains. Engaging multi-method research approaches, including interviews and campaign analysis, their research reveals that while many consumers care about exploitation, few feel empowered or informed enough to act. Factors such as price, convenience, and conflicting emotions often override good intentions.

Rather than placing the burden of responsibility solely on individual consumers, the research calls for a broader understanding of accountability. The research includes investigations into how modern slavery is framed in policy and NGO campaigns, and how these frames shape public understanding and behaviour. A recent article in the International Journal of Research in Marketing critically examines how anti-slavery organisations portray consumers and corporations, finding that some campaign messaging unintentionally obscures the structural drivers of exploitation.

The research also examines the effectiveness of awareness campaigns, and the real-world barriers people face when trying to shop ethically. With funding from the Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre and the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust, the team has produced multiple reports evaluating what works, and what doesn’t, when it comes to mobilising consumer action.

This is a deeply collaborative programme of work. The research team has partnered with organisations such as Anti-Slavery International and Be Slavery Free, contributing to policy briefings, campaigns, and public events. Research findings have been presented to the UK and Australian Governments, including the House of Lords, No.10 Downing Street, and the Office of Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, influencing both advocacy and policy in the UK and internationally.

At its core, this research challenges us to reconsider where responsibility lies and how change happens. By bridging ethical consumption research with activism, marketing, and public policy, the research team contribute to building a more just and transparent global economy: one that does not rely on human exploitation.

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For further information, please contact business-school-research@glasgow.ac.uk 

First published: 9 September 2025