Great ‘Cheapest Way to Go Fairtrade’ Hunt

Former_MSE_Wendy · 16 February 2009 at 5:12PM

What this is all about?

Next week is the start of Fairtrade Fortnight. Whilst traditionally not a MoneySaving mentality, products often do not cost much more than own brand and are usually cheaper than brand name goods, so we’d like to tap MoneySavers collective knowledge for the most cost effective way to buy Fairtrade.

What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

Please post below to share your top tips.

Here's mine to get the hunt started

Co-op Fairtrade chocolate is usually £1.07 (and may be reduced in some stores to 85p at the moment) where as a similar size bar from Cadbury costs around £1.25.

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greenbee · 17 February 2009 at 11:11AM

Natural Collection currently have quite a bit of fair trade stuff (particularly clothes) in their sale

competitionscafe · 17 February 2009 at 11:56PM

Good article on Fairtrade here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article5719496.ece

Ethical superstore have Fairtrade belgian chocolates on offer at half price: £3.49 / £4.99 or £8.99 depending on which size you get. There is 10% cashback and a free delivery code here: http://www.topcashback.co.uk/retailerdetailEthical_Superstore.htm

(Just search for Plush Belgian Fairtrade Chocolates on the ethical superstore site)

max2002ad · 18 February 2009 at 1:11AM

Sainsbury's Basic's (own brand) Tea bags are Fairtrade and only cost 28p for 80 tea bags. The best news is that the tea tastes great and much better than other own brand teas.

Grangran_2 · 18 February 2009 at 2:58AM

There are usually quite a few special offers around during FT Fortnight you just have to look for them. I found M&S FT granulated sugar was cheaper than Tesco's non-FT granulated sugar in the week I was making marmalade!

Pisces · 18 February 2009 at 9:39AM

Sainsbury's Basics bananas are Fair Trade, and taste great. At £1.03 a bag, they're an absolute bargain!

earthmother · 18 February 2009 at 10:51AM

Sainsburys sugar is also all Fairtrade, and normally around the same price as other brands.

The Co-op is king of Fairtrade though - biggest range of products I've come across, and normally they discount by 20% over the fortnight. Their chocolate is already 'unofficially' discounted as it normally costs around £1.09, and is currently around 85p.

hardpressed · 18 February 2009 at 1:13PM

I always buy Fairtrade tea and Coffee but if possible I support the British farmers by buying Silver Spoon sugar which is made from British sugar beet.

Joe_Force · 18 February 2009 at 2:17PM

Simplyfair.co.uk often has offers on, and you can earn 10% cashback through www.cashback-rewards.co.uk

Oxfam shops sell some good fairtrade items - I like to buy the tea and coffee (big tins) in bulk as it saves money.

foreign_correspondent · 18 February 2009 at 2:20PM

All co op own brand tea, coffee and chocolate is fair trade (and has been for years), and it is very often cheaper than brand named equivalents.

They do a chocolate bar with crispy bits in called "Dubble" which is lovely and considerably cheaper than similar sized bar of cadburys!

valiant · 18 February 2009 at 3:47PM

This from The Economist on 7/12/06 : (full article is 'paid' content on The Economist website).

"Fairtrade food is designed to raise poor farmers' incomes. It is sold at a higher price than ordinary food, with a subsidy passed back to the farmer. But prices of agricultural commodities are low because of overproduction. By propping up the price, the Fairtrade system encourages farmers to produce more of these commodities rather than diversifying into other crops and so depresses prices—thus achieving, for most farmers, exactly the opposite of what the initiative is intended to do. And since only a small fraction of the mark-up on Fairtrade foods actually goes to the farmer—most goes to the retailer—the system gives rich consumers an inflated impression of their largesse and makes alleviating poverty seem too easy."

At least do a Google on Fairtrade and inform yourself before wasting your money on left-wing idealism.

Great ‘Cheapest Way to Go Fairtrade’ Hunt

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