Fairtrade charity says people are making ‘conscious’ choice to buy its products

Nearly 70% of UK adults have bought Fairtrade products such as bananas, tea or coffee in the past year despite pressure on personal finances, as concern that the climate crisis could push up the price of imported food drives “conscious consumerism”, the charity said.

Against the backdrop of this year’s big spikes in the price of coffee and cocoa, a YouGov poll, commissioned by the Fairtrade Foundation, revealed that 79% of Britons were concerned that climate breakdown could affect the price of food while 69% were worried it could disrupt supply to the UK.

Marie Rumsby, the charity’s director of advocacy, hailed the “resilient conscious consumerism”, adding that “every Fairtrade purchase makes a difference” at a time when farmers have told the organisation that global heating is “making it harder to grow crops”.

Fairtrade has sounded the alarm about the threat that unfair trade terms pose to the long-term viability of imports such as coffee and bananas, as growers cannot afford the investment required to counter the impact of climate breakdown on their crops.

The Fairtrade stamp on packaging guarantees that the producers receive a set minimum price and a financial bonus for community projects. This means farmers “can afford to put food on the table … cover their farm costs, and adapt to the changing climate”, said Rumsby.

“We want to remind shoppers that when they next visit a supermarket, they choose products with the Fairtrade logo,” she said as the charity’s annual awareness campaign got under way on Monday. “Choosing to buy Fairtrade products helps build their resilience and keep our favourite products on supermarket shelves.”

Michael Gidney, the charity’s chief executive, recently said Fairtrade sales held firm in 2023, despite the cost of living crisis.

Gidney, who is leaving at the end of 2024 after 12 years in the role, said it was “testament that, as happened in the financial crisis of 2008 to 2009, British shoppers do not trade down on their values when times are tough”.

Fairtrade Foundation income grew 11% year-on-year in 2023 to £13.4m. Businesses can apply for a licence to use the logo on approved products for a fee, so that as sales increase the fees to the foundation increase.

Cocoa and tea sales were up 6% and 5% in 2023, while sales of fresh vegetables were up 15%, and nuts and oil sales by 12%.