Fair trade essentially ensures that workers and businesses in developing countries are not exploited for their work by businesses in developed countries. Fair trade was created so that workers can not be taken advantage of by big companies, making sure they are paid a fair price for produce or are paid fairly and have good working conditions.

World fair trade day symbolizes the progress that has been made in recent years. The fair trade movement was first set up in 1992, it was created ‘Following persistent appeals for fairness in trade from Mexican small-scale coffee farmers’. It shows us that it is not fair to pay somebody less, for the same product or the same amount of work, just because they are more in need of the money.

Why does the world need fair trade?

The clue is in the name, it helps to make trading around the world FAIR.

For years big companies have been profiting off the work of others, paying them unfair wages for the work that they do, all to line their own pockets.

With World Fair trade, when you see the label on an item you are buying, you can feel good about yourself, you know that the people who helped to create this product were not being taken advantage of.

With everything that’s going on at the minute, you can do your bit by simply checking what food you are buying at the supermarket, does it have a fair trade label on it?

What you can do to support fair trade :

·     Buy Fair Trade products and  encourage your family, friends and colleagues to do the same.

·     Suggest stocking fair trade products in your local stores if they do not already do so.

·     Join a local campaign to support fair trade.

·     Start your own campaign to support fair trade.

·     Organise your own Fair-Trade activity to raise awareness.

·     Celebrate World Fair Trade Day.

·     Celebrate World Fair Trade Week

What are you going to do this week to support World Fair trade?

Find out more about fair trade here: https://wfto.com/