The Fairtrade Mark is a certification
label awarded to products sourced from developing countries that meet
internationally recognised standards of fair trade. It is an international
network of different organisations which ensure that the producers
of goods receive a fair price and have healthy and safe working conditions.
Many products are also organic but this is not an essential requirement.
The number, variety and standard of Fairtrade goods available increases
year by year far beyond the original tea and coffee sold in the beginning.
Buying Fairtrade goods has made a
difference in the lives of workers and farmers living in poverty.
With the extra income they have been able to access clean water supplies
and health care, send their children to school and raise the standard
of their products and marketing. The Fairtrade movement aims to raise
awareness of the existence of Fairtrade goods, so that shoppers may
seek out the Fairtrade Mark and ask for these goods to be stocked
by retailers. The goal is that all goods eventually become fairly
traded promoting justice and peace in the world.
