Share the Passion for Fairtrade

Passionate chocolate love-ins in city centres, Fairtrade opera evenings, cake-eating competitions and treasure hunts are being planned by thousands of Fairtrade supporters around Britain and Ireland for Fairtrade Fortnight 4-17 March. Share the Passion! – for food, for people, for Fairtrade – is the slogan for this year’s annual campaign to promote a better deal for farmers and growers in the third world. Focusing on making the link between consumer and producer, the Fairtrade Foundation is enabling farmers to meet with shoppers in UK supermarkets, setting up internet links and running a competition so winners can visit coffee growers in Costa Rica.

The event comes as Fairtrade sales continue to rise significantly in the UK. The value of Fairtrade products at the checkout was £44 million for the period October 2000 to September 2001. "Fairtrade meets the needs of producers, as well as consumers. I want to trade directly with the people who consume what I produce, with the minimum participation of middlemen. I want both producers and consumers to know about each others’ needs" says Guillermo Vargas Leiton from Coocafe, the coffee co-operative in Costa Rica which sells to the UK Fairtrade market and will host the competition winners. Guillermo is one of four coffee, banana and cocoa farmers who will be visiting the UK during Fairtrade Fortnight.

"Fairtrade farmers are an inspiration to meet because they are overcoming so many hurdles to create a wholly new kind of trade, and they are passionate about it," says Harriet Lamb, Fairtrade Foundation’s Executive Director. "They, too, are inspired when they meet ordinary men and women around the UK who are doing extraordinary things to promote Fairtrade – and all those who are prepared to pay that little more for top quality Fairtrade products. It’s shared passion that’s bringing us together across the oceans."

The Fairtrade Mark, the bold black F on packaging, is the UK’s only independent consumer label that guarantees a better deal for third world producers. Disadvantaged farmers gain access to markets and receive guaranteed better prices as well as a premium that they can use for commercial or social development. Consumers can find the Fairtrade Mark on coffee, tea, chocolate, cereal bars, honey, sugar, bananas, fruit juice and , new in January this year, mangoes.

"Most of us have a passion for everyday luxuries like choccies or a good coffee. So let’s show some passion for the people who produce them too. It’s so simple - just buy delicious bananas, juice, tea or any product with the Fairtrade Mark. The more we buy, the more marginalised farmers can participate in Fairtrade. It’s a vote for a fairer trading system that also ensures that producers really do get a better deal now" says Harriet Lamb.

Supported by the UK’s biggest development agencies, national women’s organisations and major supermarket chains and companies, the Fairtrade Fortnight will be the subject of thousands of special events throughout Britain. Last March 2,500 events took place and Prime Minister Tony Blair took part in the launch with a cup of Fairtrade coffee for breakfast.

For more information contact: Eileen Maybin or Abi Murray on 020 7404 9303 (office hours) or 07770 957451 (outside office hours).

For interviews: Fairtrade Foundation Executive Director Harriet Lamb is available for interview. Guillermo Vargas Leiton will be available from the 4th of March.

The Fairtrade Mark is available on over 100 products in the UK and includes the following:

• Cafédirect (instant and roast and ground coffees)
• Co-op Fair Trade (coffee, bananas, mangoes and chocolate)
• Clipper Fairtrade Teas
• Divine chocolate & Dubble bar
• Equal Exchange (organic coffees, teas, chocolate Brazil nuts, honey, and sugar)
• Fairtrade bananas
• Fairtrade mangoes
• Green & Black's Fairtrade organic chocolate bars and cocoa
• Hampstead Tea & Coffee Co.
• Johnsons coffee
• Oxfam (organic cocoa and chocolate)
• Percol Fairtrade coffees
• Sainsbury’s ground coffee
• Teadirect
• Traidcraft (Geobars, organic chocolate bars, sugar and cookies)

The above products are available in major supermarkets, independent wholefood shops, small retailers and One World and fair trade shops. There are also over 20 national catering suppliers of Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar in the UK. For a complete list of retail and catering products and their availability, visit the Fairtrade web site at www.fairtrade.org.uk