The Fairtrade badge is to be replaced by a new logo in a bid to improve the standing of the compassionate–buying brand.

Bosses at the organisation hope the marque will improve visibility on supermarket shelves, convey a forward–looking image, facilitate cross–border trade, and join with the international Fairtrade Labelling movement to introduce a single certification mark.

Focus study group research revealed the original emblem lacked impact, was difficult to recognise and recessive on packaging.

'We are always asking people to buy products that carry the Fairtrade mark,' said a spokesman. 'For this [reason] it is very important that shoppers can locate the mark on busy supermarket shelves.' There are now 12 core labelled products on the Fairtrade label – coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, snack bars, honey, sugar, orange juice, grapefruit juice, mangoes, bananas and rice. They are sold by 360 producers in 36 nations – via 226 traders to 430 licensees in 17 countries.

Topics