FAIRTRADE LEADS THE WAY AS ECO-LABELLING INCREASES IN POPULARITY
26.06.2012 - As consumers become more ethically conscious and corporate social responsibility increases, ethical labels, initially intended for niche markets, have in recent years exploded in mainstream markets. With 431 eco-labels globally, and over 80 of these labels in the UK market alone, the growth is undeniable.
Fairtrade, however, still proves to be the most trusted label among both consumers and retailers, especially in Europe.
More international retailers partner with Fairtrade in a bid to increase the impact of their own sustainability goals:
- Sainsbury's in the UK, the world’s biggest retailer of Fairtrade products, stocks Fairtrade tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar, wines, fresh fruit and roses among other labelled products. All Sainsbury’s Cafés also sells Fairtrade tea, coffee, hot chocolate and drinking chocolate and a selection of Fairtrade treats. Most recently the retailer has committed to selling only Fairtrade certified bananas.
- Marks and Spencer, officially declared a carbon neutral retailer, was the first major retailer to switch all its tea and coffee to Fairtrade in 2006 and continues to strengthen relationships with suppliers across the world.
- Tesco, a proud stockist of Fairtrade labelled products, currently stocks over 130 Fairtrade product lines across the UK, of which more than 30 are the retailer’s own-labelled products.
- Lidl supports Fairtrade through their own-labelled range FAIRGLOBE. Among the Fairtrade ranges include coffee, bananas, juice, chocolate, sugar, rice and tea.
- Carrefour is a leading retailer of Fairtrade products in France; with over £40.8million in sales in 2010 and stocking over 20 lines of Carrefour-brand Fairtrade products. These lines include nearly 20 certified products, including: coffee, cocoa powder, chocolate bars, tea, honey, sugar, bananas and roses.
- The Co-operative was the first UK retailer to launch an own-brand Fairtrade product in 2000 - The Co-operative milk chocolate. Today, The Co-operative continues to be the only retailer to boast a 100% own-brand chocolate range.
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Aldi, the award-winning UK retailer, have recently proudly committed to stocking Fairtrade products - launching with coffee, tea, chocolate and bananas.
AND IN SOUTH AFRICA?
We are currently working with Pick n Pay and Woolworths to increase the availability of Fairtrade products for local consumers. South Africans can now choose from a range of Fairtrade wines in Pick n Pay and can drink Fairtrade coffee in all W Cafes across the country. Soon, Fairtrade coffee will be available also in Woolworths shops.
In a recent debate on the value of eco-labelling for the local market, 72% of South Africans voted in favour of growing ethical labels locally.