Fairtrade charity says people are making ‘conscious’ choice to buy its products | Ethical and green living

Concerns that the climate crisis could lead to higher prices for imported food have prompted “conscious consumerism”, with almost 70% of British adults buying fair trade products such as bananas, tea and coffee in the past year despite pressures on personal finances, the charity said.

Against the backdrop of rising coffee and cocoa prices this year, a YouGov poll commissioned by the Fairtrade Foundation found that 79% of Britons are concerned that climate change will affect food prices, and 69% are worried that supplies to the UK will be disrupted.

The charity's director of advocacy, Marie Rumsby, praised “resilient conscious consumerism”, adding that “every time you buy a Fairtrade product you make a difference” as farmers tell the charity that global warming is “making it harder to grow our crops”.

Fairtrade warns that unfair trade terms threaten the long-term viability of imports such as coffee and bananas because producers cannot afford the investments needed to counter the impacts of climate change on their crops.

Having the Fairtrade seal on their packaging guarantees producers a minimum price and provides funding for local projects, meaning farmers “can afford to put food on the table, cover their farming costs and adapt to a changing climate,” Rumsby says.

“We want to remind shoppers to choose products with the Fairtrade logo the next time they go to the supermarket,” she said as the charity's annual awareness campaign launched on Monday. “Choosing to buy Fairtrade products helps make them more resilient and helps keep our favourite products on supermarket shelves.”

The charity's chief executive, Michael Gidney, recently said sales of Fairtrade products would remain strong in 2023, despite the rising cost of living.

Gidney, who is due to step down at the end of 2024 after 12 years in the role, said it was “proof that British shoppers do not compromise their values ​​when times are tough, as was the case during the 2008-09 financial crisis”.

The Fairtrade Foundation's income is set to rise 11% year-on-year to £13.4 million in 2023. Companies can apply for a licence to use the logo on approved products for a fee, and as sales increase, so do fees to the Foundation.

Cocoa and tea sales are expected to grow 6% and 5% respectively in 2023, fresh vegetable sales will increase by 15%, and nut and oil sales will increase by 12%.