Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian

Fair trade city in the making

1 min read

In March Croydon became the first London borough to gain fair trade status, paving the way for the rest of London.

To gain fair trade status, Croydon had to reach a number of set goals, including increasing the availability of fair trade products in shops and cafés and forming a steering group.

The campaign is backed by the borough council, which offers fair trade products in residential homes, schools and libraries and at council meetings.

London mayor Ken Livingstone has endorsed Croydon’s achievement and supports London’s bid to become the world’s first fair trade capital city.

To date 23 British cities, towns, villages and zones have achieved fair trade status.

Other instances of increasing public and political interest and displays of commitment to fair trade include:

  • The serving of fair trade coffee at the royal banquet celebrating Finland’s National Independence Day.

  • Debate in the British Parliament about fair trade.

  • The European Union has included fair trade-labeling in its policies on corporate social responsibility.

  • The World Bank head office serves fair trade coffee to its employees.

  • Worldwide sales of fair trade bananas grew by 27% in 2001.

  • In the United States sales of labeled fair trade coffee are booming: during 2001 they increased by 79%.

  • Supermarket chains are increasingly integrating fair trade-labeling into their overall retailing.

  • In Italy, in almost all supermarket chains, you can find at least one fair trade-labeled coffee package.

  • Volkswagen has developed its own fair trade coffee, which is on sale at its company stores.