Fairtrade is the most widely recognised ethical label in the world, according to a comprehensive study of 17,000 consumers carried out by research consultancy GlobeScan.
Across the 24 surveyed countries, 57 per cent of consumers had seen the Fairtrade mark, according to Fairtrade International.
Recognition had also increased in the 15 main tracking countries since the study was first conducted in 2008, with 65 per cent having seen the mark, compared with 59 per cent in 2008.
In the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria and Finland, recognition now exceeded 80 per cent, according to the study.
The label was also shown to be well trusted, with 64 per cent of consumers saying they trust the mark.
Trust was equally shown to increase with recognition, with nine out of 10 consumers that recognised Fairtrade regarding it as a trusted label.
The study also highlighted the expectations that consumers have for companies in terms of combating poverty, with fair pay for farmers and product safety the key issues.
“This survey proves consumers do care about the people and the communities at the other end of the supply chain,” says Rob Cameron, chief executive of Fairtrade International. “They want to be sure that their everyday purchases reflect their values and they expect companies to reflect this need. We are taking up the challenge to grow Fairtrade still further so that even more farmers and workers can have better opportunities and more consumers can make the choices they believe in.”
Shoppers spent some €4.36bn on Fairtrade products in 2010, representing an increase of 28 per cent.
