Why purchase Fairtrade?
The reasons why Fairtrade came about
There are many products produced in the developing world that can’t be grown in the UK, such as coffee, tea and cocoa.
The unfortunate truth is that many developing countries do not have very good labour laws, and what laws do exist, are not very well enforced. They also have very little in the way of price protection, which forces farmers to accept whatever is offered to them, sometimes less than what it cost to produce.
If we consider that the Ivory Coast set a minimum price for cocoa, which meant that its farmers (and workers) would receive a fair price. The country, as a whole would be able to generate a thriving economy. However the World Bank ‘forced’ the Ivory Coast to change this policy because they ‘believed’ that the farmers would get a better deal by working directly with the corporations. Now consider the current state-of-affairs in the Ivory Coast…
Farmers (and workers) receive very little for what they grow and continue to remain in extreme poverty. They will be unable to receive regular access to medical care, justice systems, education, decent clothing and in many cases, a proper diet. Could you ever imagine this happening in the UK?
How fairtrade can stop these problems
Fairtrade uses a number of measures to bring an end to these problems, including:
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Long-term contract with the farmers. This allows the farmers to plan ahead and use their contract to borrow money to improve production quality and quantity.
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Higher than market prices to ensure workers receive a fair wage. This means that no matter if the markets prices are high or low, the farmers know how much they will receive, allowing them to train and retain staff.
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A premium invested in local community and environmental projects. A percentage of the money earned by the farmer and workers is invested in providing health care and education. They will also look at ways of reducing their environmental impact.
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Ensures that no child labour or any type of slave labour is used. With the development of a local education system and making sure that no children are working on farms or factories, then the natural progression will be that the children go to school. Also, if there is no ‘market’ for slave labour, then there will be no ‘supply.’
The Fairtrade Standard
There are various fairtrade standards around the world and in the UK. The most well known standard in the UK is the ‘Fairtrade Foundation.’ The Fairtrade Foundation has a very distinctive mark that can be seen on the majority of fairtrade products in your local supermarket.
Not all fairtrade companies in the UK use the Fairtrade Foundation Mark, but with a little research, usually by viewing the company’s website, they will help you to understand why they are considered fairtrade. However, if you are not sure, then why not join us on our on-line forums and maybe someone can help.
Once Sustainable UK Limited has established itself and we have some time to investigate, we will look at the other fairtrade standards in the UK.
