Fairtrade sales continue to rise
As Fairtrade Fortnight kicks off, the organisation announces that cocoa and sugar sales surged last year.
As this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight kicks off, the Fairtrade Foundation says sales of Fairtrade products are continuing to rise, despite the continuing economic gloom.
Overall sales rose by 12% in 2011 to £1.3 billion, with cocoa and sugar sales particularly strong. As a result, Fairtrade Premiums, the money producers receive to use for either business or social development, increased by 10% compared to 2010.
That growth is set to continue, with Morrisons changing its entire bagged sugar range to Fairtrade products. Ben & Jerry’s is also switching the sugar used in its ice creams, and Mars is going Fairtrade in Maltesers.
And this summer, caterers at the Olympics will exclusively use Fairtrade sugar. The Foundation says that 42% of the UK sugar market is now Fairtrade.
Also to mark Fairtrade Fortnight, the Co-op will now only be stocking Fairtrade bananas while Marks & Spencer is launching a tea from a new Fairtrade smallholding in Kenya.
This year’s Fairtrade campaign is calling on people to pledge a ‘step’ in support of the organisation, with a target of 1.5 million by this time next year.
You’ll find a full list of Fairtrade events here
Do you buy Fairtrade products? If not, why not? Join the debate in the Comments section below.
Recipes with Fairtrade ingredients
Antony Worrall Thompson's fruit and nut pilaf recipe
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