Visiting growers in Rwanda reinforced my view that through Fairtrade there is a more morally just way of sourcing from developing countries. I was struck by the Maraba co-operative's pride in producing excellent quality coffee - so the Fairtrade premiums can drive a virtuous circle. Fairtrade is now a proven model to raise the most disadvantaged out of poverty and I hope that one day all developing world commodities will be traded in this way.
Mark Price
Managing Director, Waitrose
Amid rising expectations of responsible sourcing by retailers, coupled with increasing distrust following the banking crisis, shoppers are looking for independent third party certification from organisations they do trust.
Despite the recession people continue to embrace the core values of Fairtrade, and care about the people behind the products. Fairtrade products are widely available from independent stores, online outlets and dedicated fair trade shops through to mainstream outlets and major supermarkets. But if we are to deliver greater benefits to more farmers, we now need to raise awareness and sales to the next level.
Research shows that the FAIRTRADE Mark remains the pre-eminent consumer label in the UK. Most importantly, increasing numbers of shoppers don’t just recognise the label, but they understand the aims behind it.
Research conducted in 2008 has shown that despite the current economic climate, shoppers who have made the decision to switch to buying Fairtrade goods are unwilling to give up their Fairtrade habit.
In the UK, Fairtrade tea sales grew 150% by volume in 2008. This accounted for 70% of global Fairtrade tea sales, making the UK Fairtrade market the global leader. These sales are underpinned by commitments from major retailers. In the UK, all own-brand tea from The Co-operative, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer is Fairtrade certified, while pioneering companies Clipper and Cafédirect continue to spearhead the UK Fairtrade tea market.
To address effectively the decades of poor conditions in many tea estates in India and Africa, and the declining price of conventional tea, we need to scale up the Fairtrade tea market. Fairtrade is a long-term development process, rather than an overnight miracle cure, and increased tea sales are crucial to deliver sufficient premiums to change lives.