Hmm. In no particular order here are the things I look for.
1. no Nestle!! (BTW I was wondering the other day - do any people who use formula boycott Nestle because of their business practices in the 3rd World? maybe that's another thread lol)
2. Organic. If there is an organic option I get it whether it is a staple like flour or something more exotic.
3. fair trade - we always buy the fair trade organic coffee and chocolate
4. additives - I always take my little yellow list. I don't bother with Aldi anymore because everything has additives.
5. Local and Australian - I almost never buy imported fruit and veges. I get bottled Australian garlic instead of the Chinese stuff. DH begged for cherries on Sunday do I got him a handful of American ones but generally I won't touch them. I buy limes from Fiji and NZ.
6. I like to buy woolmark wool.
7. Freerange. I try to only buy freerange chicken and eggs but I do have the odd Oporto's burger - if only they weren't so yummy *waaagh*
8. We tend to only buy the TNCC lollies. They use beef gelatine and only natural colours and flavours.
9. Recycled packaging and recyclable packaging.


DH hates shopping with me because of all my little shopping quirks but I tend to know what brands are ok and buy the same ones over and over again - it's only when he comes with me and wants something different that the label reading starts lol.

BTW - It's worth rechecking labels every now and then. I was horrified last week when I realised that the ice-cream I bought had changed its formula but then I found the new Weis icecream which is yummy and relatively natural and QLD based so I was happy again.