As consumers strive to become more sustainable, they are increasingly demanding ethically sourced products such as bananas, chocolate and coffee, says the Fairtrade Foundation as its annual Fairtrade Fortnight campaign gets under way.
Even when inflation means they have to change the way they shop, consumers still largely expect businesses to do the right thing in terms of sourcing. Its good, then, that sustainability doesn’t have to be unaffordable, says Fairtrade Foundation.
More supermarket retailers now offer Fairtrade products as part of their value ranges, sold at low, accessible price points (while ensuring farmers don’t lose out financially). This includes Co-op’s Honest Value Range, M&S Remarksable Value and Waitrose Essentials. Meanwhile, Lidl and Aldi are the UK’s two biggest Fairtrade cocoa retailers, while the last 12 months have seen the launch of Asda’s Fairtrade aisle in its online store, as well as the launch of Amazon Aware, the retailer’s own-brand range of affordable, ‘consciously created’ products certified by labels such as Fairtrade.
All this means Fairtrade continues to perform well in the retail space. Fairtrade’s latest research (Kantar 2022) reveals that 77% of UK consumers have chosen Fairtrade products over an alternative. At the same time, Fairtrade Premium generated by retail sales of bananas, coffee, flowers and tea grew steadily in 2022.
This comes at a time when a new consumer poll commissioned for Fairtrade Fortnight reveals that nearly two thirds (64%) of the British public either agree or strongly agree that buying sustainably sourced food in the supermarket is ‘a lifestyle change you can make to help protect food grown in countries at risk of climate change’.
Fairtrade is now reaffirming its commitment to work with companies to improve sustainability in the retail space. Kerrina Thorogood, Commercial Partnerships Director at the Fairtrade Foundation said: “If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that the UK’s food stocks are dependent on supply chains that are, in turn, reliant on a whole host of complex factors operating smoothly in the background. The salad and fresh produce shortages that hit British supermarkets in February 2023 have served as a timely reminder of this.
“Smallholder farmers and agricultural workers overseas who produce the food we love to eat are already struggling with fewer resources and higher prices as well as volatility in commodity markets and downward pressure on prices. Now they are also having to deal with the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change, which shows no signs of slowing. There has never been a greater need for businesses to prioritise sustainability, ethics and fair pay for those in their supply chains. One way they can do this is by choosing Fairtrade.”
And in recognition of Fairtrade’s value, firms are marking their long-term commitment to sustainability through Fairtrade, showing their customers that they’re in it for the long run. For instance, M&S Cafés have launched new takeaway cups, featuring design celebrating their commitment to 100% Fairtrade tea and coffee since 2006, and contributing more Fairtrade Premium for Fairtrade tea and coffee growers than any other UK retailer.
Fairtrade’s latest consumer research (Kantar, 2022) reveals that according to consumers’ perceptions of different ethical labels, Fairtrade performs very strongly on the environment. The figures show that when it comes to ‘supporting farmers to diversify their income to be more resilient to climate change and other risks,’ twice as many UK shoppers now associate this statement with the Fairtrade label as they do another prominent food certification scheme. Elsewhere, Fairtrade consistently outperforms in other sustainability categories, including ‘paying a fair price to producers’ and being ‘ethically and responsibly sourced’.
Major brands and retailers continue to back Fairtrade despite the impacts of Brexit and ongoing cost-of-living-related challenges, making impressive commitments in 2022 to Fairtrade and the farmers and workers in their supply chains.
- Amazon extended its existing Fairtrade commitment to announce an exciting new range of seven health and beauty products containing Fairtrade olive oil and shea butter.
- Ben & Jerry’s joined Tony’s Open Chain in a joint mission to end modern slavery and child labour in the chocolate industry. To celebrate their commitment, the two brands got busy making delicious desserts inspired by each other, introducing Chocolatey Love A-Fair and Non-Dairy Chocolatey Love A-Fair, new Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavours based on Tony’s popular milk caramel sea salt bar; and Tony’s Chocolate Love A-Fair: Dark Milk Brownie and White Strawberry Cheesecake, new Tony’s bars inspired by Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavours. Additionally, Tony’s bars were listed by Asda, Tesco and Morrisons in 2022.
- Co-op unveiled the UK’s first Fairtrade veg tray in a special stir fry deal, then went on to become the first retailer to offer Fairtrade Ecuadorian roses in its Serenity Bouquet as well as Fairtrade olive oil. Co-op’s popular Ever Ground coffee brand arrived on shelves in 2022, with two ready-to-drink coffees and two new 100% Fairtrade roast and ground coffee lines. It also announced the first vegan Peruvian GRO chocolate bar.
- Co-op and Fairtrade Africa celebrated a successful end to the first year of the Fairtrade Alliance for Climate-Smart Supply Chains in Africa. So far over 1400 farmers across tea, coffee and flower cooperatives have been trained on climate change awareness and reducing environmental impact. Co-op also confirmed investment in another year of the Productivity Improvement Programme in their banana supply chain, supporting farmers to improve their productivity and incomes, whilst protecting their local environments.
- A delicious new coffee from Papua New Guinea was launched by CRU Kafe.
- Sweet news for chocolate lovers as Ecotone launched Alter Eco chocolate in the UK for the first time in 2022. Meanwhile Beech’s Fine Chocolate converted its beans to 100% Fairtrade. Belgian chocolate brand Guylian also announced a switch to sourcing 100% Fairtrade cocoa. Hu Kitchen converted all their cocoa to Fairtrade, as did Mighty Fine, Quirky Chocolate and Sweet Freedom.
- Premium organic chocolate brand Green & Black’s has announced the launch of a new range, Smooth, available in two flavours: Plain 50% Cocoa and Mint flavours.
- Greggs fans cheered at the arrival of their Fairtrade cocoa cookie in Iceland.
- Lidl and Aldi became the UK’s two biggest retailers of Fairtrade cocoa in 2022, highlighting that sustainability doesn’t always need to come at a higher price.
- Lidl, meanwhile, became the first retailer to give its staff Fairtrade cotton uniforms.
- M&S maintained its position as the largest UK retailer of Fairtrade tea and coffee across its Foodhall and Cafes, contributing £1.2m in Fairtrade Premium in 2021, and is celebrating its 100% commitment with a new take away Café cup. It also offers a selection of Fairtrade products across wine, jams, bananas and chocolate.
- Fairtrade, Ecookim cooperative and cocoa farmers and Mars launched the Livelihoods and Ecosystem Advancement Programme (LEAP) and committed to supporting 5000 cocoa farmers in Cote D’Ivoire on a path towards a sustainable living income by 2030.
- Pure Booch launched the first Fairtrade Kombucha Brand in the UK.
- Primark announced a new global partnership with Fairtrade and launched a skincare range containing Fairtrade shea butter and olive oil.
- Sainsbury’s added to their Fairtrade tea range, with products such as their Flourish Energise Infusion.
- Waitrose’s exclusive new WholeFruit took Fairtrade chocolate to another level. Unlike traditional bars which use only the seeds, WholeFruit uses the entire cacao fruit providing a fruity, zesty taste with zero waste and 40% less sugar. Going bananas for Fairtrade, Waitrose’s Essential Fairtrade Bananas took top spot in its stores in 2022 as the most common item people buy, found in 7% of baskets.
These developments come as the Fairtrade Fortnight gets underway, running from 27 February – 12 March. As part of this year’s campaign, the Fairtrade Foundation launched an Endangered Aisle immersive experience to encourage people to switch to Fairtrade products so that farmers and workers overseas can protect the planet and safeguard the future of some of the UK’s favourite foods. More than 30 Fairtrade business partners supported the pop-up on Shoreditch High Street in London.
Jackie Marshall, head of brand and marketing, Fairtrade Foundation: “Today, Fairtrade’s work – connecting farmers, businesses and consumers on the path towards sustainability – is more important than ever. Climate change, conflict and the global cost-of-living crisis are threatening marginalised communities in low-income countries, putting their livelihoods and the future of our food at risk. However, our research has shown that farmers who benefit from Fairtrade Standards, pricing and programmes are more resilient in times of global crisis. That’s why, this Fairtrade Fortnight we’ll once again be asking the British public and businesses to get behind Fairtrade so that together, we can continue to make the future as fair as it can be.”
