Throughout May, Fairtrade Canada–the Canadian chapter of Fairtrade International–is celebrating the farmers, workers, brands, retailers and advocates who make up the Fairtrade System during its Fairtrade Month campaign. The campaign will answer the question “Why Fairtrade?” Because it’s only fair.
Nearly eight in 10 shoppers who know the FAIRTRADE Mark - the label indicating a product is Fairtrade certified or contains Fairtrade certified ingredients - agree that by buying Fairtrade, they feel part of a community standing up for fairness and justice. This is according to a 2021 GlobeScan consumer insights report. In addition, 73 percent of those same respondents reported feeling proud to shop at stores supporting Fairtrade.
One report notes nearly eight in 10 shoppers who know the FAIRTRADE Mark agree that by buying Fairtrade, they feel part of a community standing up for fairness and justice.
“Fairtrade Month is the perfect time for people to commit to supporting the farmers and workers responsible for the goods we enjoy every day like coffee, chocolate, and bananas,” said Julie Francoeur, CEO of Fairtrade Canada. “We are working to create a world in which all farmers and workers enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods and believe that a decent standard of living, one that covers basic needs and supports an existence worthy of human dignity, is a human right.”
In recent months, national grocers such as Sobeys Inc. have expanded their Fairtrade, organic banana offering from select Ontario and Quebec stores, to customers across the country to meet increasing consumer demand and further demonstrating a commitment to responsible and ethical sourcing. Fairtrade, Organic bananas are now widely available in Sobeys, Safeway, Thrifty Foods and select Foodland stores, as well as other retailers, across Canada.
Recently some national grocers have expanded their Fairtrade, organic banana offering from select Ontario and Quebec stores to customers across Canada.
Fairtrade works with small-scale banana farmers and workers on larger farms and plantations located primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean. To protect farmers and workers from pay insecurities, Fairtrade sets a minimum price for bananas, which aims to cover the costs of sustainable production and acts as a safety net when the market falls below that. An additional Fairtrade premium is paid per pound of bananas, which is used to fund improvements to farms and processing facilities, as well as community projects, housing, education or healthcare.
“One key goal is that Canadians have access to Fairtrade bananas and other Fairtrade goods. This expansion makes that even easier,” said Francoeur.
Now more than ever, we need to ensure that farmers are getting a fair price and that the burdens of inflation and climate change don’t fall solely on their shoulders.
Fairness is a language without borders. Being able to afford a decent living, be paid fairly for work and have safe work conditions--these are some of the most basic human rights everyone deserves.
For more information:
Emily Rado
Fairtrade Canada
[email protected]
https://fairtrade.ca/