What is Fair trade?

Well firstly, Fair trade is an organisation created to help ensure and certify that companies are treating their farmers fairly. Therefore Fair trading companies must hold strict safety standards and give fairer prices to the farmers (or the producers) of the goods. It also enables the producers to receive bonuses in the form of a Fair Trade Premium.

Where can I find Fair products?

Fair Trade company products you can see will have a stamp or logo. Most Fair products can be found in your local supermarket on the shelves or on tables. Usually when I buy things in the supermarket for the weekly shop, I buy Fair fruit. Fair Trade fruit you can also be buy plastic free depending on the fruit, which is a plus as it helps us to use less plastic.

 Fruit Produce prices

You may have noticed that prices of fruit that are not Fair are normally very cheap. However, the Fair Trade market prices for fruits might be higher or more or less the same – depending on where you buy the product. This is due to the workers getting paid a fair minimum wage, along with a Fair Trade premium to share. All costs paid for by products such as a banana will usually have the producers paid less. Bu if you buy a Fair banana you will give the producers who farm the fruit more money.

The Premium

The Premium is an additional sum of money for the farmers and workers to use communally. The Trade premium can be used as the community of workers see fit. The premium can be used to build anything: Nurseries for the workers’ kids, schools or even conveyor belts on the production line. Furthermore, the premium can be split equally between  the workers as bonus money.

Product Examples

1. Bananas

2. Oranges

3. Honey

4. Cocoa

5. Nuts

6. Cotton

7. Coffee (Starbucks)

8. Jackets (Patagonia)

9. Chocolate

There are many products you may purchase that can help many workers in developing countries. Secondly, your attention to fair payment of producers is changing the company guidelines to be healthier for everyone. Thank you.