Information on Loughborough

Fairtrade in Loughborough and Charnwood

Posted on 05/06/2008

coffee beansCHARNWOOD has been congratulated after successfully retaining its Fairtrade Borough status.

National charity Fairtrade Foundation has confirmed the Borough is still doing its bit to guarantee a fair price for producers across the world.

Fair trade promotes the payment of an equitable price as well as requiring social and environmental standards in the areas related to the growing or manufacture of a wide variety of goods. The group focuses particularly on the exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts and also agricultural products such as cotton, fresh fruit, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, wine and so on. However there has been some criticism of fair trade from groups that see it as a type of subsidy that has an impeding effect on growth.

Two years ago, Charnwood was the first Borough in the East Midlands to achieve Fairtrade status and there are now more than 35 shops and 28 café and restaurants that sell Fairtrade products locally. Earlier this year (25th February 2008) the Fairtrade Directory was published to coincide with Fairtrade Fortnight.

Hannah Reid, the Campaign Co-ordinator for Fairtrade Towns, said: “It is clear that the Fairtrade campaign has continued to go forward in Charnwood and that a great deal of hard work has gone into promoting Fairtrade and increasing understanding of why Fairtrade is so important.

“We appreciate the time and energy involved in running a campaign such as this and would like to thank everyone who has played a part in taking Fairtrade in the Charnwood Borough from strength to strength.”

Karl Letten, Charnwood Borough Council’s Sustainable Development Officer, added: “It’s great to see that local shops, cafés, restaurants and shoppers in Charnwood are continuing to buy Fairtrade products.

“Not only does Fairtrade guarantee a better deal for producers but we get to have lots of great Fairtrade products in our local shops.”

To find out where to buy Fairtrade products in Charnwood, log on to www.charnwood.gov.uk/environment/fairtrade.html or www.fairtrade.org.uk