For immediate release – August 2025
This Fairtrade Fortnight, from 22 September to 5 October 2025, thousands of individuals, schools, community groups and companies across the UK will unite under Fairtrade’s “Do It Fair” campaign to celebrate and stand with the people around the world behind the everyday products we love.
The campaign will shine a light on the tea industry and the people behind our cuppa who deserve to live with dignity, and encourage consumers to demand fairness from crop to cup. But for some of the people growing our food, that’s not the reality. The simple act of buying Fairtrade products like tea, coffee or bananas, offers a powerful way for people to do it fair.
Grassroots Fairtrade activists are set to organise more than 400 tea parties across the UK this year, spotlighting the human and environmental costs behind Britain’s favourite brew. Community groups will urge people to sign our petition calling on the government to take stronger action in the tea industry, and will be asking local MPs to join the growing calls for new legislation to require businesses to protect human rights and the environment in their supply chains. With the UK Government having just launched a review of its policy on responsible business conduct, Fairtrade Fortnight this year is an opportunity to push for meaningful policy change that will improve the lives of the people who produce Britain’s tea, coffee, cocoa and more.
The campaign will also amplify the voices of visiting farmers, underscoring how ethical consumer choices can help drive more sustainable global trade.
As volatile pricing, climate pressures and economic instability deepen global inequality and impact farmers worldwide, Fairtrade Fortnight calls on the public to act. Choosing Fairtrade products like tea – as well as other everyday essentials produced overseas including bananas, coffee and chocolate – ensures farmers receive the Fairtrade Minimum Price as a vital safety net, and are empowered to invest their Fairtrade Premium in their farms, families and futures.
British shoppers have generated around £50 million in Fairtrade Premium by choosing Fairtrade tea over the last 30 years. But the volumes of tea sold on Fairtrade terms needs to increase in order build more resilient supply chains. Premium funds have gone directly into vital areas such as education, healthcare, and sustainable farming initiatives, driving community development and long-term resilience. The Fairtrade Foundation will release its latest Premium figures for Fairtrade Fortnight.
Research highlights the strength of public demand for Fairtrade:
- Seven in 10 UK adults purchased a Fairtrade product in 2024i
- Eighty-five percent believe farmers in low-income countries should receive stable, fair payii
This overwhelming support is reflected in the more than 350 leading UK retailers and brands who champion Fairtrade sourcing and who are committed to transforming global trade for the better. Many also offer affordable everyday product ranges available to buy in major supermarkets or when on the go.
Businesses behaving responsibly is not just good ethics – it’s what consumers expect. Fairtrade delivers real impact for the people around the world who are growing our food – people here in the UK want to see that changeiii.
At Gacharage Tea Factory, Kenya, farmers have reinvested their Fairtrade Premiums into community development. This has supported farmers to diversify into avocado and dairy farming, boosting income. Premiums have funded school upgrades and scholarships. Nine students received full scholarships, with alumni now working as a teacher and a business owner.
Jacky Wangari a Gacharage Tea Farmer and Premium Committee member said: “We have about nine students enjoying full scholarships through Fairtrade funds… [with] two of them working; one is a teacher and the other one is doing a business in town. If Fairtrade was not there, these bright students in need would not have joined campus.”
Fairtrade Fortnight 2025 aims to build on the success of last year’s campaign, which drove a surge in ethical consumerism – Fairtrade confectionary sales rose by 41%, hot drinks by 12%, and bananas by 2%, all outperforming the wider market. For more information about Fairtrade Fortnight and how you can get involved in Fairtrade Fortnight, visit fairtrade.org.uk.
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For more information, interviews and images, contact media@fairtrade.org.uk