Why 2020 should be the year that you switch to Fairtrade
Fairtrade is about paying a fair price for the food that we eat. Fairtrade is one of the greatest successes of the ethical consumer movement but why aren’t more of us buying Fairtrade? In this post, we look at why 2020 should be the year that you switch to Fairtrade.
What are the benefits of Fairtrade?
Arguably, the main benefit of Fairtrade is that it offers a minimum price to producers for their produce. If prices in the global market drop below this level farmers selling to Fairtrade distributors or companies can be sure they still get a fair price for their bananas. Therefore, they won’t slip into poverty or make a loss on produce sold. This ensures a high level of transparency and traceability in global supply chains.
Fairtrade also benefits the environment. Within the Fairtrade standards there are a number of environmental criteria that farmers must adhere to, including:
1. Sustainable sourcing of water and reduce water use as much as they can over time
2. Use of any GMOs is forbidden
3. Use of potentially hazardous chemical fertilizers and pesticides should be minimised.
There are also criteria for the rights of workers, which include freedom of association, collective bargaining and non-discrimination. Currently, millions of farmers in developing countries are not being paid enough to support their families. However, workers on Fairtrade farms enjoy safe working conditions and sustainable wages. Forced child and slave labour are strictly prohibited. Children under 18 years old are banned from work that endangers them or their schooling, and children under 15 are not allowed to be employed by Fairtrade organisations. There are now 1.65 million farmers and workers in Fairtrade certified producer organisations globally.
Fairtrade also has social benefits. The Fairtrade price paid by consumers contains a premium, which is an amount of money on top of the price of the product. The premium is used for investment in local projects and to improve infrastructure, including sanitation, schools and local medical facilities. Each community determines how their funds will be used through democratic systems.
Why should you make the switch to Fairtrade?
Purchasing products that are Fairtrade certified can reduce poverty, encourage environmentally friendly production methods and safeguard humane working conditions. When we choose to purchase Fairtrade produce, we help farmers to get a better deal and a more stable income so that they can feed, educate and take care of their children.
How we support Fairtrade
At Coliman Allfresch, we take an active role in the production and quality control process of all of the products we import and export. Not only does this guarantee quality for our customers, but it also ensures that our producers are working in fair conditions and have a stable income. We believe in rewarding hard work. Our primary aim is to provide our producers with more security and stability.
If you’d like to find out more about the Coliman Allfresch group and how we are working towards a sustainable future please contact us here. Find out more about Fairtrade here.
