Benefits of Fair Trade

As the name says, Fairtrade seeks fair play in international trade. The aim of Fairtrade is to offer better terms of trade to local producers and workers, and thereby help to build local communities.

Fair trade means higher prices are paid to farmers and mainly involves products exported from developing to developed countries.

A concept for good

Fair trade is not only used to set minimum social and environmental standards in production and trade. Fairtrade also supports the development of small-scale farmers and plantation workers in need of help.

When fair trade sales are going up, we are moving in the right direction: We are buying more and more products that are part of the solution instead of the problem!

But fair trade production alone will not solve the problem of a consumer society completely out of balance. Fundamental changes are needed when it comes to our use of natural resources, our waste generation, and our emissions of  CO2.

A small but growing market

Sales of fair trade products have increased every year in the last six years and almost doubled since 2012. But despite the positive development, fair trade products still make up just 0,0225% of global consumer spending.

What are the most common fair trade products?

Seven products make up around 90% of the fair trade system:

• Bananas
• Cocoa
• Coffee
• Cotton
• Sugar
• Tea
• Flowers and plants

Coffee, tea, and cocoa production make up almost 90% of the workforce of these seven products.

More is needed

Supporting small-scale production through Fairtrade is a good thing. But it should never make us forget that more fundamental changes in the current trading system are needed.