The time has come for us to pick another brilliant brain about about things magazine publishing.

This week it’s the turn of Tim Hunt, co-editor of leading alternative consumer magazine Ethical Consumer.

November/December 2012, November/December 2017 and November/December 2019

An indispensable read for any independent thinker, Ethical Consumer’s mission is to improve the sustainability of global business and provide the necessary information, inspiration and resources for readers to make simple, informed and effective choices every time they shop. 

Each bi-monthly issue features detailed product guides, news of ethical products and campaigns, in-depth features, opinion pieces, boycott updates and more.

You can keep up with all the latest news from the title on Twitter: @EC_magazine

On with the interview!

1) What’s your role within Ethical Consumer?

I’m currently co-editor and a worker director with responsibility for much of our coms and marketing.

2) What attracted you to the magazine publishing industry?

I wanted to be a football reporter when I was younger and did work experience when I was 16 in one of our local newspapers. 

Later I studied politics at university and began to understand the power of the press and the importance of reporting in a fair and accurate manner to the public, so that they could make informed decisions about the way they voted and lived their lives.

3) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Pizza. At least then you can vary the toppings…

4) If you weren’t working in publishing, what would you be doing?

I sometimes think I’d like to have trained as an architect so perhaps that —  but I’ve wanted to work in publishing for so long (and have now been doing it in one form or another for over 15 years) I can’t really imagine myself doing anything else.

5) Do you have an all-time favourite Ethical Consumer issue?

Perhaps one of our special editions that focused on the use of palm oil in food and other consumer products. It was very popular with readers and useful for them in terms of positively changing their purchasing behaviour.

September/October 2015 issue of Ethical Consumer — Palm Oil: Buy or Boycott?

6) If you could live in any city, where would it be?

In an ideal world I think I’d probably split my time between Gijón in northern Spain and travelling around the world. There is so much to see and experience that tying yourself to one city would be a mistake if you had the opportunity to do more.

7) What do you think will have changed in the publishing industry in 5 years?

The industry (and society in general) is changing so quickly it’s difficult to say. Perhaps the climate crisis will see all publishers printing on post consumer recycled paper and generally improve the sustainability of their operations. I live in hope…

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Thanks for taking part and for your excellent insight, Tim! If you’d like to participate in your very own Publisher 1-On-1, get in touch at publisher@exacteditions.com.