Amazon
Flagged · AvoidThe world's dominant e-commerce and cloud computing platform, with a documented record of suppressing warehouse worker organizing while aggressively automating the jobs those workers do.
Last updated June 16, 2026
↓ Skip to 27 ethical alternativesReasons to avoid
Issues span:LaborTaxAntitrustEnvironment
- Amazon's injury rate at its warehouses was 71 percent higher than all other comparable employers in the warehousing sector in 2023, according to OSHA data analyzed by the National Employment Law Project. The Senate HELP Committee opened an investigation in 2024 citing the company's speed quotas and chronic understaffing during peak periods as primary causes.
- Italian financial crime police concluded in 2024 that Amazon failed to collect and remit roughly €1.2 billion in value-added tax owed on behalf of non-EU sellers on its platform. Prosecutors in Milan say the total liability including penalties could reach €3 billion, covering transactions from 2019 to 2021.
- The Federal Trade Commission and 17 states sued Amazon in September 2023 for illegally maintaining monopoly power, alleging it uses anti-discounting algorithms to punish sellers who offer lower prices elsewhere and charges fees that can consume roughly half of a seller's total revenue. The suit accuses Amazon of inflating prices for shoppers while deliberately suppressing competition across the broader online marketplace.
- Amazon's total greenhouse gas emissions rose 6 percent in 2024 to 68.25 million metric tons, reversing two years of modest declines and driven by its expanding delivery fleet and energy-intensive AI data centers. Since the company pledged net-zero by 2040, its emissions have grown by more than 33 percent.
- Apple and Amazon struck a deal in 2018 that drove nearly all independent Apple resellers off Amazon's marketplace, inflating prices for consumers — findings that have already led to fines by regulators in Italy and Spain. A new £900 million collective action was filed against both companies at the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal in December 2025, representing over 10 million buyers.
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Common Questions
- Is Amazon ethical?
- Amazon's warehouse injury rate was 71% higher than comparable employers in 2023, and the FTC and 17 states sued Amazon in September 2023 for illegally maintaining monopoly power by charging fees that can consume roughly half of a seller's total revenue. Italian prosecutors found Amazon failed to collect and remit roughly €1.2 billion in VAT, with total liability potentially reaching €3 billion.
- Why should I avoid Amazon?
- Amazon has consistently reported higher injury rates in its warehouses than competitors, driven by speed quotas and understaffing. Its market dominance allows it to penalize sellers who offer lower prices elsewhere and inflate costs for consumers, while greenhouse gas emissions rose 6% in 2024 to 68.25 million metric tons despite a 2040 net-zero pledge.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to Amazon?
- For books, Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores and is B Corp certified. For secondhand items, ThredUp, Vinted, and Poshmark cover fashion needs. For local options, your independent bookstore finder or local CSA can replace Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods.