Why is Fairtrade important?

It is neither fair nor necessary that so many people throughout the world must live in poverty, or work in unacceptable conditions. The rules of international trade favour the commercial interests of the most powerful trading nations and the largest corporations at the expense of the wider public interest and smaller economic enterprises. The worldwide Fairtrade movement has developed to promote greater trade justice. It brings the interests of consumers together with those of small-scale producers in the developing world by:

• Working in partnership and committing to long-term relationships
• Setting prices that always cover the cost of production no matter how low the world price goes for particular crops
• Investing in the development of producers to help build sustainable businesses and the communities where they live
• Demonstrating ethical business practices and challenging others to do the same

(cited Winchester City Fairtrade Network)