FAIRTRADE GLOBAL MARKET RESEARCH RESULTS PUBLISHED
11.10.2011 — Consumers across the world remain firm in their belief that their shopping choices can make a positive difference for farmers and workers in developing countries, according to a new global survey of 17 000 consumers in 24 countries conducted for Fairtrade International by international research consultancy GlobeScan.
Six out of ten consumers (59%) feel empowered to make a difference through their shopping choices. This conviction remains as strong as or stronger than at the outset of the global economic downturn in 2008 when the survey was first conducted.
Consumers have high expectations of companies in combating poverty — 79% worldwide say companies can play an important role in reducing poverty through the way they do business. Their top concerns are fair pay for farmers and workers and product safety: a full 85% of consumers say these issues are important for companies and their suppliers in their dealings with poor countries.
The study showed that Fairtrade is the most widely recognized ethical label globally. Nearly six in ten consumers (57%) across the 24 surveyed countries have seen the FAIRTRADE Certification Mark. Recognition has increased by six points to 65% in the 15 main tracking countries since the study was first conducted in 2008. More than 80% of consumers recognize the Mark in the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria and Finland.
Shoppers recognize Fairtrade’s role in enabling them to make a difference — Six in ten (58%) of those familiar with it say that the FAIRTRADE Certification Mark makes it easier for them to decide if products are ethically produced. More than six in ten consumers (64%) globally say they trust the FAIRTRADE Mark. Among consumers who recognize the FAIRTRADE Mark, nine in ten regard it as a trusted label. Consumers understand Fairtrade’s role in providing clear benefits to farmers and workers. 64% of those familiar with the FAIRTRADE Mark strongly associate it with helping farmers and workers in poor countries escape poverty.
In more general terms, the study confirmed that consumers across the world believe independent, third-party certification is the best way to verify a product’s social and environmental claims. More than seven in ten consumers (72%) and a majority in the 24 countries surveyed support independent, third-party certification of products, defined as certification of product claims by an independent third-party organization. Italians (89%), Irish (84%), and South Africans (82%) express the highest support for third-party certification.
“This survey proves consumers do care about the people and the communities at the other end of the supply chain,” says Rob Cameron, Chief Executive of Fairtrade International. “They want to be sure that their everyday purchases reflect their values and they expect companies to reflect this need. We are taking up the challenge to grow Fairtrade still further so that even more farmers and workers can have better opportunities and more consumers can make the choices they believe in.”
The study of more than 17,000 consumers was carried out in 2011 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA.
French, Irish, and South African shoppers feel the most empowered among all consumers, with around 70% believing that their shopping choices make a difference. The Irish also have the highest expectations of companies, as 89% emphasize the role of business in reducing poverty. More than 8 in 10 shoppers in the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Finland, and Austria report that they have seen the FAIRTRADE Mark.
People are backing their beliefs with concrete action – shoppers spent €4.36 billion on Fairtrade products in 2010, an increase of 28%. Consumers tripled their Fairtrade purchases in Czech Republic (386%), South Africa (315%) and Australia and New Zealand (258%). Shoppers bought an impressive 47 percent more in Fairtrade’s largest market, the United Kingdom (UK).
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