Some Frequently Asked Questions

Fairtrade coffee isn't as good as other coffee Not every product is to everyone's personal taste - but try some different ones and we're sure you'll find one you like. Does Fairtrade really make a difference? Yes! If Fairtrade didn't make a difference, why are farmers queuing up to join in with it? You can read many stories by producers themselves about the benefits of Fairtrade to them and to their communities on the Fairtrade Foundation web site! Why are Fairtrade products more expensive? There are many factors which affect price - the quality of the product, whether it's a supermarket own label or a brand, the brand name behind that product, and the size of the company. If, for example, you buy a Traidcraft or Cafédirect product, you may pay a few pence more but the company is 100% dedicated to fair trade and will invest its own profits back into helping farmers and workers to develop. If you shop in an Oxfam shop, it may be a little more expensive, but all the profits are ploughed back into Oxfam development work. Are we being exploited? Aren't supermarkets profiteering? Of course companies are making a profit - this is the real world. But the real issue is about consumer choice. When I go shopping, I can see the prices displayed and it's up to me to decide what I choose to buy, whether just in terms of price or in terms of value for money and in terms of quality. Charity begins at home: what about local farmers? Fairtrade isn't just about charity, but about making ethical choices when we go shopping. Don't you expect a fair wage for your work? That's what Fairtrade is doing in the developing world. But m ost Fairtrade products aren't competing with local farmers, and we actively encourage buying local produce in season. Flying goods in from abroad increases our carbon footprint… It's not just the miles, but HOW things are produced too. Only Fairtrade flowers are routinely airfreighted, and growing flowers naturally in Kenya is less carbon-intensive than hothousing flowers in Europe. Fair trade vs free trade. Some economists say Fairtrade doesn't work, or will even make things worse for the farmers. Free trade economists often base their conclusions on theoretical arguments, rather than looking at how Fairtrade works in practice.
You would think that free traders would embrace the notion of consumer choice and supply and demand embedded into the Fairtrade model. For example, if you shop for a brand of trainers, it's considered quite normal that people would consider paying more for Nike or Adidas - the brand provides some intangible benefit in terms of my lifestyle choice beyond the shoe itself. The same is true of Fairtrade - whilst I might be getting just a banana or packet of tea, it is proving me with a similar additional benefit, a way that I choose to live my life and want to see expressed in my shopping preferences. Are 'ethical' products the same as Fairtrade? Like, for example: Rainforest Alliance, Starbucks Shared Planet, Typhoo's Ethical Sourcing etc. Well, any step in the right direction has to be a good thing. If a company is making its own claims, you need to ask what they are based on, and how they are verified. There are other certifications that look at standards at the farm level, but Fairtrade is unique in ensuring a better deal through trade for marginalised producers, providing the premiums that are so important in enabling them to implement their own development priorities. What if I have more questions? Then do please get in touch with us! Or look on one of the many web sites dedicated to promoting Fairtrade!