Supermarkets Praised for Backing Fairtrade Fortnight

9.51.26am GMT Fri 7th Mar 2008

Liberal Democrats have praised local supermarkets for promoting Fairtrade Fortnight and say its now up to shoppers to keep up the pressure for more Fairtrade products on the shelves to ensure farmers in developing countries get a fair deal for their products.

Jonathan Chatfield the Lib Dems' parliamentary spokesperson for South East Cambridgeshire urged those who have never bought a Fairtrade product to buy at least one to hopefully get the habit of choosing the Fairtrade alternative whenever possible.

He explained:

"It is Lib Dem policy for branches, local parties, and council groups to purchase products bearing the Fairtrade mark or equivalent wherever possible.

"Also to work with suppliers and contractors, businesses and local people to increase awareness of the ethical issues involved in purchasing decisions and wherever possible to buy products from Fairtrade sources.

"Retail sales of Fairtrade certified products topped £290 million in 2006 and have grown 40 per cent year-on-year over the past five years. Awareness levels of the Fairtrade label among the UK population reached their highest level last year at 57 per cent.

"Recently

Tate & Lyle announced they are switching all their own label retail sugar to Fairtrade sugar. This move will benefit more than 6,000 farmers in Belize, who will receive Fairtrade premiums of around £2 million for investment in their community in the first year alone.

"If you are buying food from abroad look for the Fairtrade label and help make a difference for the lives of millions of people in developing countries."