Partner Article

Fairtrade sales increase as UK businesses commit

Sales of Fairtrade products increased 12% to £1.32bn in 2011, as cocoa and sugar both show significant growth.

The figures mean Fairtrade premiums, the extra received by producers for business or social development increased by over 10% in 2011 compared with 2010.

Fairtrade Fortnight begins today, and a briefing reveals the sugar and confectionery industry are stepping up more than ever to meet sustainability challenges, and deliver a better deal for small scale farmers and workers.

Recently Wm Morrison supermarkets have committed to stocking Tate & Lyle, the first major brand to convert to Fairtrade in 2008.

This will take Fairtrade’s share of the UK sugar market to 42%, as other brand manufacturers have also committed to Fairtrade sugar.

Divine Chocolate, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Maltesers and ice-cream companies such as Ben & Jerry’s are all among those switching to Fairtrade.

Harriet Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation, said: “Fairtrade is an example of responsible capitalism in action.

“We believe that responsible businesses are those who don’t just tackle the company bonuses at the top, but also seek to ensure a fairer deal for the workers and farmers at the bottom of the supply chain too.

“The commercial reality is that forward-thinking companies are showing leadership in committing to Fairtrade, realising that, as well as it being the right thing to do, they need to invest in smallholders, developing better, longer-term relationships, to ensure the future supply of commodities like cocoa, coffee, sugar, tea, fruit and more.”

Impending EU sugar forms will jeopardise access to European markets for some of the world’s poorest sugar producing countries, potentially creating more poverty.

Research on The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) which supplies Tate & Lyle, and the Kasinthula Cane Growers Association (KCG) in Malawi, shows Fairtrade is a strong tool for farmers.

The BSCFA, have been able to boost the yield of sugar content in each cane by 30%, by improving roads and consequently delivery times.

Better environmental management is evident through tree plating programmes and soil analysis date, and social benefits such as education and clean water programmes, have been achieved.

This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight calls on the UK public to take 1.5 million steps for Fairtrade, one for every farmer and worker the Fairtrade system hopes to work with by the end of 2012.

Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State in the Department of International Development (Dfid), said: “Trade drives growth which in turn creates jobs and wealth in communities. Through trade we can help people to pull themselves out of poverty.

“Ensuring farmers and other producers get a fair price for their produce and effort is central to this.

“One of Marks & Spencer’s ‘steps’ for Fairtrade Fortnight is to sell the first ever tea grown and packed at Iri-iani, a small holder group in Kenya.

“Marks and Spencer’s shared skills and expertise on packing with the group, part-funded by Dfid’s Food Retail Industry Challenge Fund (FRICH) which supports African farmers through innovative business partnerships.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .