Fair Trade Faring Extremely Well

Fairtrade, the certification label established in the 1990s is recognised by 70% of British consumers . This goes to show how far the “trade not aid” sector has come.
In spite of the economic downturn, Fairtrade sales are growing, up 50% in the first six months of 2008, from £493m in 2007.
Instead of Fairtrade being ground to be trodden just by do-gooders, it is a unique, massive selling point.
Even Starbucks will be selling just Fairtrade coffee by the end of 2009.
The coffee growers receive considerable benefits, including improved working conditions, better environmental practices and minimim price guarantees.
FIne Foods International, the company behind Fair Instant, the Fair Trade coffee brand, affirms that the Columbian farmers they trade with get paid £24 ($36) more for a Fairtrade bag of coffee.
Given that the majority of coffee farmers in Columbia make $4,500 a year for about 40 bags of coffee, this represents three times as much money as they would otherwise make.
Fairtrade also pays a premium to assist growers communities.
Many of these communities build wells, maternity hospitals and schools, whilst other communities invest in machinery, training in how to use the machinery and the infrastructure to build a sustainable future.