About Fairtrade

Many of the products that we take for granted such as tea, coffee, sugar, chocolate are produced by farmers in the warmer climates of the south. Often the market price falls below the cost of production, which has forced many farmers into debt whilst many others have lost their land.

Fairtrade ensures that disadvantaged third world producers really do benefit from fairer trade. Fairtrade organisations buy direct from farmers at better, fairer prices. They provide producers with a price that covers the cost of production and an extra premium which at is invested in the local community.

This strengthens the economic position of disadvantaged producers and enables them to invest in social, environmental and long term development.

Supporting Fairtrade gives us the opportunity to contribute to sustainable development at a global level. Sustainable Development is about meeting the needs of all of those alive today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It will only work if we, as consumers, endorse it.

Traidcraft [external link], Oxfam [external link] and Fairtrade [external link] work together to ensure disadvantaged third world producers really do benefit from fairer trade. A number of criteria have been set and have to be met to achieve Fairtrade status. The Fairtrade Mark is your guarantee that products bought from producers in the third world meet these internationally recognised standards.

To be awarded the Fairtrade Mark, traders have to:

  • Pay a price to producers that covers the cost of sustainable production and living.
  • Pay a premium that producers can invest in development and in their communities – clean water, healthcare, education, the environment
  • Partially pay in advance, when producers ask for it.
  • Sign contracts that allow for long term planning and sustainable production practices.

In most of the developed world, Fairtrade products are now mainstream goods available in supermarkets and independent shops.  Fairtrade is a truly positive alternative and it is catching on fast. Over the past three years consumption of Fairtrade foods in the UK has more than doubled. The British public now drinks 1.7 million cups of Fairtrade tea, coffee and cocoa each day and eats 1.5 million Fairtrade bananas a week.