To Fair Trade or not to Fair Trade? That is the question...

If I was to tell you that just by the choice of product you buy you could ensure:

• no child labour 
• provision of a fair price for all farmers for their produce
• better health care for people in developing countries
• increased infrastructure in developing countries
• farming practices are improved to better look after the environment
• conservation of certain endangered animals
• improved educational outcomes for children and young people

You'd choose that product, wouldn't you? I would. Fair Trade products do promise all of these things and yet, I don't always buy them.

I've known about Fair Trade for a while now but really just a surface knowledge. I didn't really understand, until I started looking into it, just how much of a difference I can make to the lives of people on the other side of the planet by my choice of chocolate, coffee and tea. I guess I wasn't always doing my shopping in places where you can get Fair trade products, which until recently has been in health food and other specialty shops.

But, Fair trade is becoming more and more popular. Big companies like Cadburys are starting to realise the importance of fair trade practices because more and more customers are asking for it. So really, it's up to us. If we think that it is important that farmers are treated fairly, we need to let big companies know by asking for and buying fair trade products.
This morning, I needed to buy coffee because my Dad was coming over for a Father's Day morning tea. Instead of heading to my favourite coffee house to buy my usual, I actually went in search of Fair Trade coffee. So I guess this process of investigation about sustainable food practices is changing my behaviour!

Oh, and the coffee was delicious!