Cheap is not always better.
A fan of being frugal, I seek a good deal.
I will buy generic brands of canned corn over well-known brands who pay to be well-known.
But in the race to the bottom, we can lose track of the sideways effects.
Choosing cheap chocolate, for example, has effects far from me.
It ripples to small farmers in underdeveloped countries growing cacao.
As privileged consumers in a wealthy country, we can make a difference with what we purchase. We can make change by looking to sourcing ethics. Where did this squash come from? Or coffee or chocolate? Is this low price a fair price for the producer? Or did the middleman take most of the profit?
You get what you pay for and the ripple effects. Ethical purchases sell a story of making a difference for people with little.