What is Fair Trade?

'Fair trade' is a simple concept that has been around for over 40 years. By purchasing a fair trade product or by stocking and promoting fair trade product lines, consumers and businesses give producer communities the chance of an economic, environmental and socially sustainable future.

The Fairtrade mark, introduced in the late 1980s, is an independent consumer label which is awarded by the Fairtrade Foundation as a guarantee that disadvantaged farmers and workers are getting a better deal. In particular Fairtrade focuses on exports from developing countries to developed countries. In real terms this means marginalised growers and producers for example of coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, flowers and handicrafts are provided with a degree of economic self-sufficiency.

Nationally Fairtrade status has been achieved by more than 400 communities (including Carlisle, Brampton, Hexham and Newcastle along Hadrian's Wall); wider Fair trade is supported by a range of international development aid, social, religious and environmental organizations such as Oxfam, Amnesty International, Catholic Relief Services and Caritas International.

For more information please click here or visit the links to the right.

To visit the Fairtrade Towns website, please click here

Links