The importance of Fairtrade

Fairtrade is crucial in the development of worldwide production and trade; it is an organised market-based approach that helps producers in developing countries and promotes sustainability. The picture to the left is the Fairtrade symbol to look out for; it is shown on products which have passed the guidelines of Fairtrade.

The main exports you will find in shops near you are: handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate and flowers. The Fairtrade products themselves are becoming such a widespread success, that they are now sold in all major supermarkets and smaller chain shops- so there’s no excuse for not getting involved!

Do you avoid buying Fairtrade products because you believe the majority of the extra expense, goes to the rich business people running the enterprise? If so you are not alone; this is a common misconception, in reality the movement encourages paying more for products, to ensure an improvement into the social and environmental standards of the workers and their areas.

I can’t emphasise enough the benefits buying Fairtrade products has on workers in struggling areas of Africa, Latin America and Asia. Spending a little more money on your weekly shop to ensure you have Fairtrade products doesn’t take much effort, but can improve the life and working conditions of many less fortunate people. So next time you’re buying a chocolate bar, check for the Fairtrade symbol and you too can make a difference.