Free samples hardly seem to provide the appropriate forum on which to make a stand about ethics and morality. Interestingly enough, though, they can do just that. There are plenty of companies that have found a way to make a statement about their concerns for social justice, global economic inequalities and environmental issues by marketing their products. When they offer their potential customers free samples without surveys of these products, they introduce them to their concerns about these issues. Of course, they also go out of their way to market their products to a niche of potential customers that is already receptive to these issues. So not only do they play a role in educating the public, but they also help to encourage and reinforce the sentiments of those who are already ethically conscious.

Examples that come to mind are organic food products such as fair-trade chocolates or coffee or tea. These are all items that are produced from crops grown in developing nations. That the crops are described as organic indicates that they are grown using environmentally-friendly techniques, and that natural rather than artificial fertilizers are used in their cultivation. These factors are bound to appeal to people who are concerned about environmental degradation and want to play their part in conserving the environment.

The fact that the manufactured products are described as fair-trade implies that the individuals involved in producing and processing them get paid the amount they deserve when these products are sold on the international market. They don’t go through middlemen who buy them at cruelly low prices then sell them to international consumers at elevated prices. This means that the producers have a greater say in determining the market value of the price and, if there is any profit to be had, they get a decent share of that profit. This factor would appeal to consumers who felt concerned about socioeconomic inequalities between the developed and developing worlds. This would be a valid concern on their parts. It is often the case that luxury foods like good quality tea, coffee and chocolate are produced through processes that ensure the continued impoverishment of the farmers, pickers and factory workers who produce them. Purchasing fair-trade products helps consumers who have such concerns challenge these exploitative practices.

Offering free samples of these products to people at farmers markets’ and at grassroots community events is a good way to reach a potential customer base. Most of the people at these events or locations are bound to fit in the targeted niche. Hence, it is a good idea to allow them to try the items before they purchase them by offering them free samples.