| The term "Fairtrade" indicates a movement that | | | | buyers. |
| promotes a just price to developing-world | | | | Recognizing market and reputation value, more |
| producers of agricultural products, such as | | | | and more global companies are introducing Fair |
| bananas, cocoa, coffee, cotton, flowers, fresh | | | | Trade into their procurement policies. Brands such |
| fruit, rice, herbs and spices, sugar, tea and wine. | | | | as Starbucks, Ben and Jerry's, Candico Sugar and |
| From its foundation in the 1980s, Fairtrade has | | | | Cadbury's chocolate have started including Fair |
| become an organized and trusted labeling system | | | | Trade certified ingredients into their mainstream |
| recognized by ethical, and increasingly mainstream, | | | | products, and increasing their use. Leading retailers |
| consumers. | | | | such as Tesco (UK) now have their own range of |
| Despite the global recession, FLO reported a 23% | | | | Fair Trade products which are highly successful. |
| rise in worldwide sales of Fairtrade labeled | | | | There are currently 19 Fairtrade Labeling Initiatives |
| products, with annual sales of over $4 billion (USD) | | | | in 23 countries around the world and a variety of |
| for 2008. | | | | product-specific standards are set by FLO. There |
| Fair Trade consumers are concentrated in the US | | | | are however, only two Fairtrade labels, one for |
| and Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, | | | | North America and another for the rest of the |
| and East Asia - most prominently Japan, where | | | | world. Both involve third party certification by a |
| sales rose by a staggering 44% in 2008. | | | | registered member of FLO. The Fairtrade certified |
| Other growing markets are located in South | | | | Mark is in use in the US and Canada but will |
| Africa and Mexico. The FAIRTRADE Mark is the | | | | gradually be replaced by the International |
| property of the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations | | | | FAIRTRADE Certification Mark over the next few |
| International (FLO), based in Germany. FLO | | | | years. |
| members sub-license the use of the FAIRTRADE | | | | Rather than competing, these labels are |
| Mark in their territories, while FLO International | | | | recognized by consumers in their respective |
| licenses the FAIRTRADE Mark to companies | | | | markets. |
| where there are no national labeling initiatives. | | | | In order to display either branded mark on |
| Prior to the early 2000s, Fair Trade products | | | | products, retailers and producers must ensure the |
| were a small niche in the market, often sold by | | | | source of production has undergone a certification |
| single unit, ethical and new age stores. This has | | | | process involving a third party audit of the |
| now dramatically changed and the FAIRTRADE | | | | production facilities and distribution and supply |
| Mark has become essential for selling in many | | | | chains. |
| markets - bananas and coffee retailing and | | | | All observers agree that Fair Trade produce will |
| serving in North America and Europe in particular. | | | | continue to grow at substantial rates compared to |
| It may soon become a necessity for selling all | | | | the market overall and that the price differential |
| food, flowers and cotton goods from the | | | | between Fair Trade and non-Fair Trade produce |
| developing nations into the higher end of their | | | | will continue to narrow. This will further enhance |
| own markets also. | | | | the market potential of the brand in both |
| There are currently over 6000 Fair Trade | | | | developing and developed world markets. |
| certified products from 60 countries available to | | | | |