Fairtrade

What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers.

How many fairtrade products are there in the UK?

The Fairtrade Foundation has licensed over 3,000 Fairtrade certified products for sale through retail and catering outlets in the UK.

Food products include:

Bananas
Nuts/Oil Seeds
Cocoa
Quinoa
Coffee
Rice
Dried Fruit
Spices
Fresh Fruit
Sugar
Honey
Tea
Juices
Wine

Non-food products:

Cotton
Ornamental Plants
Cut Flowers
Sports Balls

What is the Fairtrade Mark?

The FAIRTRADE Mark (see left) is an independent consumer label which appears on UK products as a guarantee that they have been certified against internationally agreed Fairtrade standards. It shares internationally recognised Fairtrade standards with initiatives in 20 other countries, working together globally with producer networks as Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO).

The Mark indicates that the product has been certified to give a better deal to the producers involved - it does not act as an endorsement of an entire company's business practices.

What is the Fairtrade Minimum price?

The Fairtrade minimum price defines the lowest possible price that a buyer of Fairtrade products must pay the producer.

The minimum price is set based on a consultative process with Fairtrade producers and traders and guarantees that producers receive a price which covers the cost of sustainable production.

When the market price is higher than the Fairtrade minimum price, the market price is payable.

What is the Fairtrade Premium?

Money paid on top of the Fairtrade minimum price that is invested in social, environmental and economic developmental projects, decided upon democratically by a committee of producers within the organisation or of workers on a plantation.

What product categories does Fairtrade certify?

Internationally-agreed Fairtrade generic criteria exist for the following commodity products and in each category there is a list of approved producers maintained by a FLO register.

For more information on Fairtrade and how you can get involved go to the Fairtrade Foundation website: www.fairtrade.org.uk

What has Angus Council done in support of Fairtrade?

For "Fairtrade Fortnight 2011" the Fairtrade Foundation is asking the nation to "Show Off Your Label". For two whole weeks they are encouraging you to show off about buying Fairtrade which offers 7.5 million people in the developing world a more secure future.

A whopping 30 million people knew about last year's Fairtrade Fortnight. That's 10 million more than 2009. So for two whole weeks the Fairtrade Foundation are asking the nation to get loud and proud about Fairtrade by asking everyone to 'Show off your label'. People love showing off about Fairtrade - tell the world about your cake made extra special by using Fairtrade sugar and spice, your most tempting bottle of wine or your favourite brew. Their aim is to load the FAIRTRADE Mark with meaning, telling consumers about the tangible difference Fairtrade makes to producers lives.

There'll be a much needed focus on cotton. Cotton can carry the Fairtrade message far beyond a slogan on a t-shirt. Cotton's link to the fashion industry, and its place in our lifestyles, means that the potential impact of our cotton focus goes well beyond the category itself.

The council stance on Fairtrade was outlined at the meeting of Angus Council held on 13 February 2003 when the following motion was approved unanimously:-

This Council resolves:-

to encourage the use of Fairtrade goods, for example, products carrying the Fairtrade mark when catering for Council meetings and functions;
to investigate the Council's own purchasing policies and those of its suppliers and implement Fairtrade where possible;
to promote Fairtrade issues and practices among local businesses and commercial and other organisations; and
to identify a named officer responsible for liaising with the Arbroath Fairtrade Action Group and implementing this resolution as part of the Local Agenda 21 Programme for sustainable development throughout Angus.

In order to promote Fairtrade, posters, leaflets, displays etc have been organised in libraries, museums, Access offices and the main Council offices, especially during Fairtrade Fortnight. Fairtrade has been promoted to Council staff via articles in the staff newsletter "Angus Matters" and stalls selling a range of Fairtrade goods during Fairtrade fortnight.

A number of Angus schools both Primary and Secondary are actively promoting Fairtrade through such activities as Fairtrade committees, Fairtrade tuck-shops, poster competitions, talks and presentations to groups or assemblies.

Fairtrade in Angus

A small group was formed in 2007 to take forward the campaign to register Montrose as the first Fairtrade Town in Angus.

The group has the backing of the Montrose Partnership, Montrose Churches Together, Montrose Chamber of Commerce and the four Montrose & District councillors David May, Mark Salmond, Paul Valentine and Sandy West who helped to formally launch the campaign in May 2007.

In order to become a Fairtrade Town 5 goals have to be achieved:-

Local council passes a resolution supporting Fairtrade.
A range of Fairtrade products is readily available in local shops and served in local cafes.
Fairtrade products used in a number of local work places and community organisations (e.g. churches, schools).
Attract media coverage and popular support for the campaign.
A local Fairtrade steering group is convened to ensure continued commitment to Fairtrade Town status.

Each goal has criteria or targets that must be reached before Montrose can qualify as a Fairtrade Town. An application for Faritrade Town status was submitted to the Fairtrade Foundation in spring 2008.

The group has produced a leaflet "Montrose - A Fairtrade Town? (970 KB PDF)" which lists Montrose retailers, hotels and restaurants where Fairtrade goods are sold or served. It is hoped this will encourage more Montrose residents and organisations to join the campaign and buy Fairtrade goods. Montrose also has its own dedicated fair-trade town website which gives further information on fairtrade initiatives and events.

Any businesses already offering or wishing to offer Fairtrade goods or services who are not listed on the leaflet should contact the group so they can be added to the next edition of the leaflet.

Anyone individuals or groups who would like more information or can offer help should contact the group secretary Peter Stevens on tel: 01674 673710.

Scottish Fairtrade Forum

The Scottish Fair Trade Forum was founded in Perth at the Fair Trade Scotland conference and was launched by International Development Minister Patricia Ferguson in 2007. The forum aims to ensure workers across the developing world receive fairer prices and decent working conditions for the products purchased in Scotland.

The government's commitment to fair trade forms a key part of the Scottish Executive's wider policy on international development and it seeks to make Scotland one of the world's first Fair Trade Nations.

Fairtrade is an area in which all Scottish consumers, including the executive, can take practical steps to help alleviate poverty overseas. Representatives from fair trade shops, towns, charities and campaigners are among those involved in the newly launched forum.

In 1994 there were just three fairtrade products on the market. Now there are more than 2,000 - including coffee and chocolate - on sale in Scottish shops and supermarkets.

The Forum holds meetings bi-monthly in various locations around Scotland and these are an opportunity for the public to give feedback on Fairtrade activity across the country, helping shape the ongoing Fair Trade Nation campaign. The SFTF also produce a newsletter regularly featuring information on Fair Trade activity in Schools, Universities and Colleges.