Next week sees the start of the 8th annual Fairtrade Fortnight. To start 14 days of raising consumer awareness in the UK; new Fairtrade nut brand Liberation has put together a list of 10 things you maybe didn't know about Fairtrade.
1. The first certified Fairtrade product Maya Gold chocolate from Green & Blacks was launched in the UK in 1994 by the Fairtrade Foundation. Today there are more than 2,500 Fairtrade products sold in the UK.
2. People used to think Fairtrade meant coffee, tea, chocolate and bananas - but now there are products as diverse as Fairtade mulled wine, to Brazil nut oil, peppermint infusions, ruby red grapefruit and even Fairtrade certified boxer shorts. Liberation this year launched the UK's first range of branded Fairtrade nut snacks.
3. The beginnings of fair trade in the UK can be traced to the late 1950s when Oxfam started to sell crafts made by Chinese refugees in their shops.
4. Amongst the 20 countries that participate in Fairtrade the UK is the largest market per head of population.
5. Families and wider communities also benefit from the increased price and premium, which comes with Fairtrade. In total across the developing world it is estimated that seven million people -farmers, workers and their families now benefit from Fairtrade.
6. There is a group of Fairtrade companies, which not only guarantee a fair price but the growers also own a share of the company. The producers of Liberation nuts own 42 per cent of the company. Our sister companies include Cafédirect, Divine Chocolate and Fairtrade fruit specialists AgroFair UK.
7. Liberation works with more than 22,000 farmers and collectors via a series of local co-operatives and farming organisations. These are in Africa, Asia and Latin America and their representatives work together as a group called the 'International Nut Co-operative', sharing information and experience to play their part in building Liberation.
8. Buying Fairtrade Brazil nuts helps to save precious trees in the
Amazonian Rainforest, as many governing organisations in Latin America will prevent the destruction of the rainforest while indigenous people are still gathering the nuts. They will continue to gather these nuts as long as they are being paid a fair price.
9. By buying Fairtrade peanuts your contribution to Fairtrade premiums are helping to create a shelter for hundreds of people in Mchinji, Malawi, who have travelled long distances to take care of and be close to their loved ones in the local hospital but have nowhere to stay. This means they can sleep and cook under cover.
10. Fairtrade premiums paid to nut farmers are increasing year on year, expanding opportunities to apply this money to projects such as clean drinking water, health and education which in turn promote the wellbeing of the farmers, their families and their communities.
