Climate change, coupled with ‘deeply unfair trade’, means that some consumer staples could soon be missing from supermarket aisles, predicts the Fairtrade Foundation. What challenges and opportunities exist in encouraging industry to support ethical trade?
A new partnership has been launched by Fairtrade International, Fairtrade Africa, and non-profit organization Earthworm Foundation, pledging to work together to monitor deforestation and assess environmental vulnerability.
The Fairtrade Foundation has released a new report revealing key insights into factors it says can “either enable or jeopardise the ability of cocoa co-operatives to create and fairly distribute positive benefits to their farmer members.”
The new ‘Cadbury Farmer Resilience Fund’ designed to protect cocoa farmer livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic is providing grants that will empower thousands of women farmers to start small businesses and earn a decent living.
Sales of organic and Fairtrade certified products continued to shine in 2020 as concerns over the climate impact of food production and the COVID-19 crisis put ethical consumerism in the spotlight.
Almost half of shoppers in the UK are discouraged from buying ethical food because of its price – but the Fairtrade Foundation insists fairtrade products offer “something for everybody”.
Competition law can actually hinder industry efforts to boost food security by limiting collaboration, according to a new report from the UK’s Fairtrade Foundation.
The value of UK Fairtrade sales dropped by €127m last year due to falling demand for cane sugar but the Fairtrade Foundation says it is remaining cautiously optimistic for 2016 as sales of Fairtrade coffee, cocoa, tea and wine all grew.
Fairtrade claims are currently less important to UK shoppers than health and even animal welfare product claims, data from MMR Research Worldwide indicates – while figures from the Fairtrade Foundation suggest ongoing growth.
UK consumers have a great desire to learn about conditions for food producers in poor countries, a new survey indicates, which food manufacturers can satisfy by flagging up their ethical sourcing efforts.
Awareness of fairtrade produce in the UK has mushroomed in the last
two years, according to a Fairtrade Foundation-sponsored survey
that indicates growing potential food companies to attract
consumers through ethical practices.
Global sales in fairtrade products have increased 37 per cent to
€1.1bn (£758m) in the last year, as leading supermarket chains
switch sourcing policies to tap the growing consumer trend for
ethically produced goods.
