We’re told we should be buying Fairtrade food but is it worth the extra money?

The concept of Fairtrade food has been around in the UK for more than ten years. But consumer information is still more than a little confusing.

What makes Fairtrade fair? Is a Fairtrade banana fair to the customer as well as the third world grower? We’ve investigated the ins and outs to bring you the facts.

What is Fairtrade?
Farmers, plantation and factory workers in the developing world are at the mercy of fluctuating market prices in the west. However, if they sell their products through Fairtrade organisations, they are guaranteed a fixed price in return. In short, the idea of Fairtrade is that producers of food and other goods in the third world get a fairer price for their goods.

What are the advantages to developing countries?
Getting a fixed price for their goods means that farmers and growers in the third world have a better chance of staying in business, providing better living and working conditions for themselves, their families and communities. Farmers working through the Fairtrade system usually have a contract, allowing them the benefit of long-term production planning. Small-scale farmers often receive part of their fixed price upfront, giving them the opportunity to reduce debts.

What Fairtrade foods can I buy?
Fairtrade foods currently on sale in the UK are: apples, avocados, bananas, citrus fruits, coconuts, pears, grapes, mangoes, pineapples, coffee, chocolate, tea, sugar, fruit juices, honey, jam, nuts, rice, wine, beer and spices.

Do any other products fall under the Fairtrade banner?
Currently it is possible to buy Fairtrade cotton, cut flowers, plants and sports equipment including tennis and footballs.

Are Fairtrade products more expensive than normal products?
There is usually a difference of only a few pence in price between, say, a high quality Fairtrade coffee and a similarly pitched regular coffee, in both supermarkets and cafes.

How do I know if a product is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade products are stamped with the Fairtrade mark. This is an independent consumer label which appears on UK products as a guarantee that they have given their producers a better deal. The mark is awarded by the Fairtrade Foundation, a registered charity. If you are shopping and see tea, coffee, bananas or cocoa products without the Mark, there is no guarantee that the retailer gives producers in developing countries a fair deal.

Where can I find Fairtrade products?
Products can be found in most major supermarkets. Other stockists include Starbucks, Woolworths, Oxfam, Holland and Barrett and NUS shops. There are now over 700 Fairtrade retail and catering products available in the UK, up from 150 in 2003.

What’s the difference between Fairtrade food and organic food?
If a food is organic it has been produced with minimal environmental impact, but no social form of production has been applied. Fairtrade food applies only to the produce of developing countries, where a fixed price has been settled between buyer and seller. Sometimes a food can be both Fairtrade and organic. The only way to know this for sure is to check packaging for both the Fairtrade mark and organic labelling.

What about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)?
At the moment there are no GMO crops in the categories covered by the Fairtrade Foundation so all Fairtrade products are GMO-free.

What are the arguments against Fairtrade?
Some ecologists argue that profits on Fairtrade food differ only marginally from that of normal trade, therefore have little impact on the lives of farmers in developing countries. In other words, Fairtrade isn’t fair at all, only less unfair. Other arguments include that which says that Fairtrade supports supermarkets and therefore comes with all the ecological drawbacks of mass distribution.

Please note Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third party sites. Images courtesy of The Fairtrade Foundation.