Fairtrade
Just that. Fair trade.The fundamental principle being that an exchange of goods should not disproportionately favour one party over another. The concept has grown over the last forty years into a substantial social movement, developing in opposition to a trading system that seems to keep the rich rich and the poor poor. Cheap goods - be they clothes, coffee, fruit, toys - may feel like a bargain for the buyer, but the likelihood is that the producer is getting a bad deal. Here in the UK where much of the food we eat and the clothes we wear come from abroad, we no longer identify ourselves as the producer; it is a term generally associated with developing countries. Though, as producers, they are at the heart of the system, it is often the case that they will receive low wages for long hours whilst those marketing and selling the goods elsewhere reep the financial benefits of others' hard work. Fair trade seeks to place people before profit, building equitable trading relationships and guaranteeing a better deal for the producers.
What does this mean for sustainability?
Through paying workers a fair price for their produce, establishing safe and healthy working conditions and ensuring that employees are free from exploitation, fair trade hopes to provide for more sustainable, stable livelihoods. Setting mininum floor prices for goods aims to guard against vulnerability in volatile markets, and trade is conducted with a mind to long-term partnerships, benefitting the people, the communities and the environment. Safeguarding resources, welfare and craftsmanship are considered to be as necessary as ensuring a fair wage. In this respect, fairtrade seeks to support a fairer future as well as a fairer present.
What can I do?
Buy Fairtrade products! Look out for the FAIRTRADE Mark which certifies goods as fairly traded. There are a growing number and variety of products available, and the more we buy them the more will become available in the future! In 2007 £1.6 billion was spent on Fairtrade products around the world,
up 47% from the previous year. Fairtrade is also creeping its way into
the high street fashion markets, where you can now find specified
Fairtrade cotton garments in places like Topshop, Marks and Spencer and
New Look. Still a niche market of course, but the movement is growing.
Here are just some of the products available at the moment:
- Coffees
- Teas
- Hot chocolate
- Sugar
- Fresh fruits
- Dried fruits
- Soft drinks and juices
- Biscuits
- Cakes and brownies
- Honey, jams and spreads
- Cereals and bars
- Chocolate and cocoa
- Sweets
- Rice
- Pasta
- Wines and spirits
- Beers and ales
- Cotton
- Flowers
The FAIRTRADE Mark is licensed in the UK by the Fairtrade Foundation, an independent not-for-profit organisation established in 1992. They are one of 21 labelling initiatives working in different parts of the world, each of which operates according to internationally agreed standards set by the Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO). Member organisations of the Fairtrade Foundation include CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Traidcraft and the World Development Movement (all founding members), later joined by the National Federation of Women's Institutes, People & Planet and Tearfund, amongst others.
Content provided by Anna Biddle.
