iCon: Apple, consumption, and the future of the planet
Environmental justice: the 2023 iCon report
iCon: Apple, consumption, and the future of the planet is a report published by Population Matters in 2023. It examines consumption and its unequal impacts, using Apple and smartphones as a case study.
The report considers consumption in a growing global population, emphasising higher consumption among affluent people and the influence of marketing and business decisions. Its chapters examine smartphone materials, production and electronic waste.
Its 2023 recommendations address consumers, smartphone companies and policymakers. They include extending product life, using repair services and making environmental reporting clearer and more accessible.
This is the original 2023 publication. Read its figures, product examples and company assessments with their source dates; it has not been updated here to assess Apple’s current policies or products.