- What is the Fairtrade Foundation?
- The FAIRTRADE Mark
- Key facts about Fairtrade and Labelling
- Recent Food and Grocery commitments to Fairtrade
- Increasing the Awareness and Encouraging Growth of Fairtrade

What is the Fairtrade Foundation?

The Fairtrade Foundation is a development organisation committed to tackling poverty and injustice through trade.

The Foundation works with businesses and communities to improve the position of producers and workers in developing countries, and to help them achieve sustainable improvements for their communities.

The Fairtrade Foundation is independent, non-profit making organisation that licenses the use of the FAIRTRADE Mark on goods in the UK in accordance with internationally agreed Fairtrade standards.

Certification and product labelling (through the FAIRTRADE Mark) are the primary tools for the Foundation’s development goals.
 

The FAIRTRADE Mark

The FAIRTRADE Mark is a label that appears on UK products as a guarantee that they have been certified against internationally agreed Fairtrade standards.

	Fairtrade Mark
	Source: Fairtrade Foundation

According to the Fairtrade Foundation the label shares internationally recognised Fairtrade standards with initiatives in 20 other countries, working together globally with producer networks as Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO).

The Mark indicates that a product has been certified to give a better deal to the producers involved. However, it is important to note that the Mark does not act as an endorsement of an entire company’s business practices.
 

Some key facts about Fairtrade and Labelling:

• The Fairtrade Foundation has licensed over 3,000 Fairtrade certified products for sale through retail and catering outlets in the UK (Source: Fairtrade Foundation)
   
• The UK market is doubling in value every 2 years, and in 2007 reached an estimated retail value of £493 million (Source: Fairtrade Foundation)
   
• In 2008, 70% of the population recognise the FAIRTRADE Mark, up from 57% in 2007 (Source: Fairtrade Foundation)
   
• In IGD’s Shopper Trends 2008 report almost one quarter (23%) of shoppers indicated that they had recently (in the past month) purchased Fairtrade products. This is compared to just over one in ten (11%) making this claim in 2003. (Source: IGD)
   

Sales of Fairtrade certified products in the UK (£ million)

Other equals:
Food products: Dried Fruit, Fresh Fruit & Fresh Vegetables, Juices, Nuts/Oil, Seeds, Quinoa, Rice, Spices, Sugar.
Non-food products: Cut Flowers, Ornamental Plants, Sports Balls

(Source: Fairtrade Foundation)

Recent Food and Grocery commitments to Fairtrade

2004

• In September, Marks & Spencer switches all the coffee sold in its 198 in-store Café Revives to Fairtrade
• Tesco unveils its Own Label range of Fairtrade products

2005

• The world’s first Fairtrade coconuts become available at Sainsbury’s
  

2006

• The first Fairtrade ice cream made with Fairtrade certified sugar is launched with Ben & Jerry’s Fairtrade Vanilla

2007

• Loose Fairtrade certified bananas are launched by Sainsbury’s and Waitrose

2008

• The Co-op switches all of its Own Label hot beverages to Fairtrade
• Tate & Lyle announce their commitment to convert 100% of its retail branded sugar to Fairtrade (Source: Fairtrade Foundation)

2009

• Cadbury and the Fairtrade Foundation announce plans to achieve Fairtrade certification for Cadbury Dairy Milk in the UK and Ireland by late Summer 2009 (Source: Cadbury’s)
  

2010

• Sainsbury's announced that it has become the world's largest retailer of Fairtrade products. Almost one in every four pounds spent on Fairtrade in the UK is spent at a Sainsbury's store, and the supermarket's annual Fairtrade sales have increased by around 10% on this time last year, up to £218m (Source: Sainsbury's)
   
• In February, The Co-operative Group geared up for its biggest ever Fairtrade Fortnight following its acquisition of the Somerfield supermarket chain last year, which could boost Fairtrade sales by some £40m per annum. The Co-operative and Somerfield offered up to 20% off selected Fairtrade products from 18 February - 9 March. (Source: The Co-operative)
   
• Tesco became the first supermarket to launch full range of men’s and ladies Fairtrade knitwear, and is doubling the range of Fairtrade cotton school uniforms, with volume sales expected to grow by 85 per cent in 2010/11, making Tesco the UK's leading retailer for Fairtrade cotton school uniforms. (Source: Tesco)
   
• Waitrose became the first supermarket to stock Ubuntu Cola. Waitrose is supporting the makers of the first Fairtrade pop, by exclusively stocking it in fifty branches nationwide. (Source: Waitrose)
  

Increasing the Awareness and Encouraging Growth of Fairtrade

The broader reach of Fairtrade can also be seen with towns, churches, synagogues, mosques, universities and schools achieving Fairtrade status. These initiatives help promote products and spread the word about Fairtrade.

Fairtrade Fortnight is the Fairtrade Foundation’s annual campaign to raise awareness of the FAIRTRADE Mark. It is their largest consumer marketing promotion and engages with a wide range of stakeholders: campaigners, retailers, licensees, producers, and the media.

Related IGD links Reports: - Social Sustainability - The New Competitive Frontier - Ethical Shopping – Are UK Shoppers Turning Green? - Ethical Shopping in Europe   Related Internet Links: - Fairtrade Foundation (IGD is not responsible for the content of external sites)