Fairtrade Fortnight

During the General Election campaign last year, it was a pleasure to sign the Fairtrade pledge and commit to supporting Fairtrade through my work as a Member of Parliament. Not one to break a promise, I visited the newly-refurbished Co-op store in Barrachnie today to promote Fairtrade fortnight in Glasgow East.

The Fairtrade Foundation is part of a global Fairtrade system, which reaches 1.66 million farmers and workers in 73 countries. Many of these are countries with which the UK has significant historical ties, often through the Commonwealth. The UK market for Fairtrade-certified goods, underpinned by Fairtrade standards, minimum price and direct payment of a premium to producers, has grown into one of the world’s largest, and Fairtrade continues to be highly trusted by the UK consumer – 83% of the public say that they trust in the Fairtrade mark.

Fairtrade-certified goods are available from lots of different retailers, but I chose Co-op for my visit because its something the chain has really taken to its heart. Ethically-sourced products are abundant on the shelves of the Barrachnie branch, making it much easier for locals to make purchases with the confidence of knowing that more of their money is going into the pockets of those who need it most.

Dishing out Fairtrade chocolate to Co-op customers.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 is running until Sunday 8th March 2020, but Fairtrade products are available to buy year-round.

Find out more about Co-op’s commitment to Fairtrade.