So fair, so good?
The answer is a clear coin jangling 'yes' - if sales of Fair Trade products is anything to go by. Fair Trade is a massive success. It's been long worked for - Christian Aid co-founded the Fairtrade Foundation in 1992. Campaigners got the first Fair Trade products onto shelves the same year. Most shops took a lot of convincing.
But sales took off as word spread - here was a chance to buy direct from farmers and producers in poor countries, and pay them a higher prices than usual by cutting out the middlemen. It meant a good deal for struggling producers, and a good feeling for consumers.
There are an estimated 1 million farmers and workers directly involved in Fair Trade.
The rest is retail history: the estimated retail value of sales of Fair Trade products in the UK in 2005 was £195 million. That's a lot of chocolate and coffee.
The Fair Trade range now includes more than 2000 products - it began with a few products like tea, coffee and chocolate, and now includes footballs (Pakistan); roses (Kenya), and wine (South Africa, Chile, Argentina).
Major supermarket chains have now launched own-brand fairly-traded products.
There are an estimated 1 million farmers and workers directly involved in Fair Trade. The rise of fair trade shows people care about the way trade affects people in developing countries. Buying Fair Trade products is one way of making sure some poor producers get a fair deal. The way to make sure everyone benefits from trade? Support our Trade Justice Campaign. Act now: Take our latest action.
Sign up for updates from Pressureworks.
Fair Trade FortnightThis year's Fair Trade Fortnight is from 26 February - 11 March 2007. Find out more.
More on Fair Trade
Fair Trade: what you can do on your campus
Fair Trade: where to find Fair Trade fashion
The Fair Trade range now includes more than 2000 products - it began with a few products like tea, coffee and chocolate, and now includes footballs (Pakistan); roses (Kenya), and wine (South Africa, Chile, Argentina).
Major supermarket chains have now launched own-brand fairly-traded products.
There are an estimated 1 million farmers and workers directly involved in Fair Trade. The rise of fair trade shows people care about the way trade affects people in developing countries. Buying Fair Trade products is one way of making sure some poor producers get a fair deal. The way to make sure everyone benefits from trade? Support our Trade Justice Campaign. Act now: Take our latest action.
Sign up for updates from Pressureworks.
Fair Trade FortnightThis year's Fair Trade Fortnight is from 26 February - 11 March 2007. Find out more.
More on Fair Trade
Fair Trade: what you can do on your campus
Fair Trade: where to find Fair Trade fashion
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