Why Fairtrade?

International trade may seem a remote issue, but when commodity prices fall dramatically it has a catastrophic impact on the lives of millions of small scale producers, forcing many into crippling debt and countless others to lose their land and their homes.

The Fairtrade Foundation exists to ensure a better deal for marginalised and disadvantaged third world producers. Set up by CAFOD, Christian Aid, New Consumer, Oxfam, Traidcraft and the World Development Movement, the Foundation awards a consumer label, the FAIRTRADE Mark, to products which meet internationally recognised standards of fair trade. The founding organisations were later joined by Britain's largest women's organisation, the Women's Institute. Fairtrade makes a real difference to people's lives:

• It challenges the conventional model of trade, and offers a progressive alternative for a sustainable future.
• It empowers consumers to take responsibility for the role they play when they buy products from the third world - results of recent surveys suggest the majority of people would prefer to buy FAIRTRADE Mark products.

By way of an example of the benefits of Fairtrade read the brief grower profiles listed on the left.