Fairtrade (merged thread)

rag_doll

Fairtrade Fortnight begins tomorrow, (1st March) which means that supermarkets will be promoting fair trade products & selling them at discounted prices, last year Sainsburys were also doing taster sessions on Fairtrade chocolate, yum!
I stocked up on tea & coffee last year, just coming to an end now!
Check out www.fairtrade.org.uk for more info.
Have fun shopping knowing that you're helping give the producers of the products we buy a decent wage for their work.

provo

rag_doll wrote:

Fairtrade Fortnight begins tomorrow, (1st March) which means that supermarkets will be promoting fair trade products & selling them at discounted prices, last year Sainsburys were also doing taster sessions on Fairtrade chocolate, yum!
I stocked up on tea & coffee last year, just coming to an end now!
Check out www.fairtrade.org.uk for more info.
Have fun shopping knowing that you're helping give the producers of the products we buy a decent wage for their work.

most stores sell fairtrade as a gimmick.
they still sell bananas coffee tea chocolate products ect that are not fairtrade.

the only store that is true fairtrade is co-op/alldays
all the other big stores refused to join.

rag_doll

provo wrote:

most stores sell fairtrade as a gimmick.
they still sell bananas coffee tea chocolate products ect that are not fairtrade.

the only store that is true fairtrade is co-op/alldays
all the other big stores refused to join.

Yes, I agree that the CO-OP are better than other supermarkets, all their own brand coffee is Fairtrade BUT they do still sell other brands of coffee that aren't Fairtrade. My local CO-OP used to sell Fairtrade bananas but stopped, they said it was due to lack of demand. I buy Fairtrade bananas from other supermarkets now.
You may consider that other supermarkets sell Fairtrade products as a "gimmick" but buying Fairtrade does help farmers & other workers. Figures released today, & just mentioned on the news, reveal that UK Fairtrade sales reached £140 million in 2004 & products carrying the Fairtrade Mark have risen dramatically, 150 products in 03 to 834 now.
Someone switching to a fairtrade product, & telling their friends & family why, can make a difference, we all have to do our bit, however small or insignificant it may seem.


I am only one but still I am one.
I cannot do everything but still I can do something.
I will not refuse to do the something I can do.
Helen Keller.
1880-1968

provo

just a little beg to people reading this,buy a jar of fairtrade coffee you will love it i promise.

from there website:
You're spoilt for choice with over 70 Fairtrade coffees available in supermarkets and independent shops. Plus you can enjoy Fairtrade coffee in Costa Coffee, Pret A Manger, Starbucks, AMT, Progreso, and Marks & Spencer.

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/

zcaprd7

Actually I thought the teabags were awesome...

flowmeter

zcaprd7 wrote:

Actually I thought the teabags were awesome...

Ditto the Hot Chocolate - Excellent price & great taste (from Co-op)

furrypig

I got the drinking chocolate from Sainsburys yummy!!

advantage_card

i liked going to M+S caffs before they switched over because some chain cafes make me feel a bit stupid if i sit on me own but they don't, and now they have switched over to fairly traded coffee i like it even more. i do try to buy this kind of things when i can but it is difficult when you live with misunderstnding parents and live in the north of socltnad, which means no sainsubrys or waitroses which may sell such items.

Cortes

Fairtrade week is a fine thing......but then everything should be fairly traded yet how can that work in a market driven by profit...don't get me started!!!!

Anyways the reason I'm posting is becuase even though Fairtrade is fantastic there are also lots of products out there that are ethically sourced but not all accredited with the Fairtrade mark.

Go and check out https://www.taylorscoffee.co.uk , and read the 'our principles' bit. Their coffee range is great (if you like roast and ground coffee) and very ethical.

Basically as far as I'm aware to obtain Fairtrade accreditation the manufacturer has to buy raw materials, in this instance - coffee, from specific Fairtrade growers. However, companies with long esthablished ties with independent growers would then have to switch, causing issues there. It would be great if Fairtrade/Ethical sourcing was the norm!

I'm sure I'm turning into a big old hippy!

advantage_card

ooh that taylors stuff sounds good, i think i have had their tea before but not their coffee. i like the sound of the Lazy Sunday Medium Roast - don't like too strong coffee as i put quite a bit of milk in it or have a milky cofee with cream on top, whisk the cream in the mug to cool the coffee down LOL.

Cortes

advantage_card, have you tried the 'coffee selector' on their website? After an easy couple of questions it recommends what coffee they feel would be suitable for you, quite cool! I chose 'medium' and all regions of the world and it suggested quite a few different ones, including a Fairtrade Organic.

Also most peolpe will have had their tea.....Yorkshire Tea is produced by Taylors of Harrogate.