About Fairtrade
The difference between Fairtrade and fairly-traded
Fairtrade
Fairtrade (all one word) refers to products that carry the Fairtrade mark. In the UK, the Fairtrade Foundation (fairtrade.org.uk) licences companies to use the Fairtrade mark on products that meet the Fairtrade standards.
Fairly-traded
Fairly-traded refers to products that don't have Fairtrade certification but which state that they have been traded in an ethical manner. Businesses registered with and listed on the ethical networks World Fair Trade Organization (wfto.com) or The British Association for Fair Trade Shops (bafts.org.uk) are dedicated to trading fairly. Fair-trading refers to Alternative Trading Organisations (ATOs) - sometimes known as 100% fair traded companies.
Fair Trade claims
Fair Trade (two words) can be used by some companies on their products but they are without the Fairtrade Foundation mark or are not a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) or British Association for Fair Trade Shops (BAFTS). To be sure they are trading ethically you would have to ask if they can demonstrate they are using the principles of fair trading and can prove they are paying a fair price to producers at the end of the supply chain.
Last updated: 06/03/2024 14:42
