Press Note

UK sales of Fairtrade chocolate are predicted to double following the announcement today that the Co-op is switching its entire range of own-brand chocolate bars to Fairtrade in 2,400 stores nationwide. The cocoa will be supplied by the Ghanaian cocoa co-operative Kuapa Kokoo.

"Most of the UK's chocoholics would be shocked to see the extreme poverty of the farmers who sweat it out to grow cocoa. Just two years ago, cocoa prices were at a 27 year low. As a result of such low and widely fluctuating prices, too many cocoa farmers do not have safe clean water in their villages, cannot afford to send their kids to school or to get proper medical care. So the need to expand sales of chocolate with the FAIRTRADE Mark is very great indeed - and that's why this bold move by the Coop is so very welcome", Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation.

The new Co-op Fair Trade Chocolate bar range, which will be rolled out to stores from Tuesday 26 November, consists of: Co-op Fair Trade Milk Chocolate 45g, priced 39p; Co-op Fair Trade Milk Chocolate 150g and Co-op Fair Trade Crispy Milk Chocolate 150g, both priced 95p; Co-op Fair Trade Dark Chocolate 150g and Co-op Fair Trade Fruit and Nut Chocolate 150g, both priced 99p and Co-op Fair Trade Crispy White Chocolate 100g, priced 99p.

For further information please contact: Abi Murray at the Fairtrade Foundation telephone 020 7440 7686 or mobile 0794 119 3540.

To contact the Co-op please contact: Michelle Vernon telephone: 0161 827 5290 or mobile 07770 925958.