Fair Trade tastes fabulous with Cadbury Daily Milk
Fair Trade products have become considerably more fashionable purchases during recent years, following several large scale international campaigns to promote awareness of the plight of workers in the so-called third world nations. Poor living and working conditions, hard labour, long hours and barely enough pay to survive are familiar problems that have blighted workers in the developing nations. Furthermore, many are victims of large foreign corporations who exploit the cheap labour force in order to maximize their own profits, which also means that very little, if any, of the money generated by such companies is pumped back into the local community.
Fair Trade produce secures a better way of life for the typical third world worker. Not only will a large proportion of the profits generated by Fair Trade approved companies be driven back into the local communities, which can help to improve infrastructures, amenities and key buildings such as schools and hospitals, but the workers will also receive more pay and less demanding working conditions. Indeed, buying Fair Trade products can be more effective than donating to charities that help the developing nations because it enables these countries to advance through commerce.
Recently, the UK division of Cadbury has announced the launch of a new range of Fair Trade chocolate bars. Representing the first mass produced chocolate to be awarded Fair Trade certification, the chocolate bars are expected to be sold to millions of UK consumers initially, which will further raise awareness of Fair Trade products. The Fair Trade Cadbury Milk bars will be sold through almost 30,000 UK outlets and will source only the finest Fair Trade cocoa from Ghana. Cadbury will no doubt be hoping to match the success of other established Fair Trade brands such as Divine and Green & Black’s.
Fair Trade Gets Fashionable
As awareness of the plight suffered by many in the ‘Third World’ increases, choosing Fair Trade products has become a popular trend among consumers in developed nations. The economy of Fair Trade produce ensures that workers in developing countries receive a relatively comfortable working environment with fair rates of pay and social security. Furthermore, a significant proportion of Fair Trade profits is driven back into the local community that produced the goods, so not only does such trade become sustainable but the future of developing nations becomes a little more secure.
With the recent news that Fair Trade products in the UK have just broken into the beauty care market, it is timely to discuss the continuing growth of Fair Trade fashion accessories. Indeed, various accessories including pendants and bracelets are produced by workers in countries such as India in addition to those across Asia, South America and Africa. Hand crafted goods are typically produced to a very high standard in such places by workers who rely on such trade to support themselves and their families. For some of these workers, the extra money earned from producing Fair Trade accessories can make the difference between eating or not eating or being able to put a child through school. Therefore, the importance of buying Fair Trade fashion accessories should never be undervalued.
Fair Trade goods have long since thrown off their worthy but dull image. Lingerie brand Pants to Poverty do a selection of fun, trendy Fair Trade and organic underwear, while fair trade brand Made has commissioned pieces by young celebrities such as Peaches Geldof to appeal to a younger demographic. At the higher end of the market, designers such as Fifi Bijoux specialise in well-crafted precious metal pieces and fine jewellery. Furthermore, Fair Trade accessories are often highly sought after for their rich attention to detail and splendid decorative charms. Goblin charm bracelets, tutti frutti necklaces and a range of sparkling pendants are staple items of such trade, whilst stylish handbags made of recycled materials are increasingly in demand. Fair Trade shopping bags are also becoming more popular as people cut down their usage of plastic bags.
The Beauty of Fairtrade
Arguably one of the most important challenges facing industrially developed nations today is how to encourage, help and inspire developing nations to defeat widespread poverty, food and water shortages and the factors that can be attributed to global warming. Of course, developed nations must first do the same on the domestic arena and it is more than evident that the international community has still some way to go before carbon emissions are reduced sufficiently to stem the rise of global warming.
Nevertheless, consumers in the UK can do their bit to help developing nations by investing in Fairtrade products, which ultimately refer to produce that is sourced in such a way as to ensure better profits, local sustainability and relatively decent working conditions for farmers and workers in the so-called ‘third world’ countries. Through buying Fairtrade products, consumers help to create a better life for those living in the poorer parts of the world.
Within the last fortnight, the Fairtrade Foundation, which has licensed more than 3,000 Fairtrade products in the UK, announced that the British public will be able to buy fully certified Fairtrade beauty products as of July. Indeed, just under 60 beauty products have been licensed by the Fairtrade Foundation for sale in the UK, including face masks, body butter, lip balms and shower gels that have been predominantly produced in Africa, Asia and South America.
These beauty products are expected to sell like hotcakes in the Fairtrade conscious UK market, where fruit produce such as bananas and oranges are already firmly established in supermarkets. Fairtrade beauty products will be found in most high street health and beauty stores.
