I'm super curious about how you propose this be implemented.
If it is an "honour system" opt-in framework, then is the idea that anyone who doesn't do it is automatically guilty of immoral practices? I know there are jurisdictions where transparency disclosure rules can't be enforced because the clash with taxation, competition, privacy, or propriety laws. And companies in some cases simply can't comply with the moral qr, because they would get sued out of existence for complying.
If it is a legal regulatory move, then the history of regulation suggests that corporations will use it as a weapon to force smaller companies out of the market while they exploit legal loopholes to create a facade of compliance while they shift their immoral practices to opaque regions and jurisdictions.
It's an interesting concept, I'm just not sure how it could be meaningfully implemented.
I don't think an honor system would work in capitalism. All the concerns you raised are contained within the framework of capitalism, so that is why I said that it would be quite difficult if not impossible to implement under the current regime and on a wide scale.
However, on a practical note, we can start with products with the shortest supply chain such as some foodstuffs. And if the legislation does not have loopholes I don't see how corporations may fake compliance. The QR code will have to show real data, such as what I suggested, that can be audited by independent institutions.
Good points from commenters about possible abuses, but maybe it could be started as an honor system, just to pilot the concept. Some companies now are using optional tools to try to audit their own supply chains. They could be encouraged to include this info in a QR code. For starters, maybe the selling point for conscious consumers could just be to look for products that have one: just to model the idea that consumers care about transparency. Once it's normalized, it would be easier to present as a legislative proposal.
I'm super curious about how you propose this be implemented.
If it is an "honour system" opt-in framework, then is the idea that anyone who doesn't do it is automatically guilty of immoral practices? I know there are jurisdictions where transparency disclosure rules can't be enforced because the clash with taxation, competition, privacy, or propriety laws. And companies in some cases simply can't comply with the moral qr, because they would get sued out of existence for complying.
If it is a legal regulatory move, then the history of regulation suggests that corporations will use it as a weapon to force smaller companies out of the market while they exploit legal loopholes to create a facade of compliance while they shift their immoral practices to opaque regions and jurisdictions.
It's an interesting concept, I'm just not sure how it could be meaningfully implemented.
I don't think an honor system would work in capitalism. All the concerns you raised are contained within the framework of capitalism, so that is why I said that it would be quite difficult if not impossible to implement under the current regime and on a wide scale.
However, on a practical note, we can start with products with the shortest supply chain such as some foodstuffs. And if the legislation does not have loopholes I don't see how corporations may fake compliance. The QR code will have to show real data, such as what I suggested, that can be audited by independent institutions.
Good points from commenters about possible abuses, but maybe it could be started as an honor system, just to pilot the concept. Some companies now are using optional tools to try to audit their own supply chains. They could be encouraged to include this info in a QR code. For starters, maybe the selling point for conscious consumers could just be to look for products that have one: just to model the idea that consumers care about transparency. Once it's normalized, it would be easier to present as a legislative proposal.
a completely loophole-free regulation would require perfect foresight, unambiguous language, and zero incentive to circumvent the rules.