Fairtrade

Fairtrade is a growing producer and  consumer movement that seeks to restore balance, and a measure of producer control, to the flow of goods from the third world to the first world.

Addressing the unequal power relations of capitalism, where large and economically powerful countries corporations call the shots, Fairtrade seeks to restore control to the people who grow or make the goods being traded. This allows the producers to make descisions about the processes of production, and how the profits should be used.

In the case of coffee, certified Fairtrade beans are purchased from co-operatives formed by local growers. A fair price paid for the coffee is then returned to each co-operative, which in turn decides how to use the profits from the beans. Not only are growers fairly paid for their work, but local communities also benefit from this money through the decisions of the co-operatives, which frequently take a wider view of local needs. Fairtrade benefits the whole community, as well as returning the power to make decisions to the people who grow the beans.

For the consumer, Fairtrade is a growing movement in which purchasing power is used to make a difference, to tell business that unfair trade practices are unacceptable and irresponsible. Purchasing Fairtrade products is an opportunity to support a more ethical and socially responsible model of international trade. Fairtrade allows you make a difference and indicate your choice about how the world should be.