From Query to Conscience: The Importance of Information Retrieval in Empowering Socially Responsible Consumerism

Millions of consumers search for products online each day, aiming
to find items that meet their needs at an acceptable price. While
price and quality are major factors in purchasing decisions, ethical
considerations increasingly influence consumer behavior—giving
rise to the socially responsible consumer. Insights from a recent
survey of over 600 consumers reveal that many barriers to ethical
shopping stem from information-seeking challenges, often leading
to decisions made under uncertainty. These challenges contribute
to the intention–behaviour gap, where consumers’ desire to make
ethical choices is undermined by limited or inaccessible information and inefficacy of search systems in supporting responsible
decision-making. In this perspectives paper, we argue that the field
of Information Retrieval (IR) has a critical role to play by empowering consumers to make more informed and more responsible
choices. We present three interrelated perspectives: (1) reframing
responsible consumption as an information extraction problem
aimed at reducing information asymmetries; (2) redefining product
search as a complex task requiring interfaces that lower the cost
and burden of responsible search; and (3) reimagining search as a
process of knowledge calibration that helps consumers bridge gaps
in awareness when making purchasing decisions. Taken together,
these perspectives outline a path from query to conscience — one
where IR systems help transform everyday product searches into
opportunities for more ethical and informed choices. We advocate
for the development of new and novel IR systems and interfaces that
address the intricacies of socially responsible consumerism, and
call on the IR community to build technologies that make ethical
decisions more informed, convenient, and aligned with economic
realities.