More Fairtrade Products Purchased Than Ever

Australian and NZ consumers purchase more Fairtrade products than ever before
Disadvantaged farmers & workers benefit as worldwide Fairtrade sales hit AU$5.4 billion

In one of the most difficult economic years on record, consumers around the world spent an estimated AU$5.4 billion on Fairtrade products in 2009 – a 15% increase over the previous year.

Australian and New Zealand consumers helped lead the way increasing their Fairtrade shopping by more than half (58%).

Steve Knapp, Executive Director of Fairtrade Labelling Australia and New Zealand said that as 2009 began in the midst of the worst global recession in 70 years there was concern that Fairtrade producers could lose sales.

“Instead, consumers in Australia and New Zealand joined the rest of the world bucking the trend and proving their deep commitment to giving developing world producers a fair deal,” he said.

“This has helped make a huge impact for the 1.2 million farmers and workers now selling through Fairtrade,” Mr Knapp said.

Fairtrade producers benefited from stable, higher-than-market income including Fairtrade Premium funds for development projects.

As a result Fairtrade coffee farmers have been able to invest AU$23.4 into community and business development while Fairtrade banana producers assign AU$19.3 million to such improvements.

There are more than 827 Fairtrade producer organisations in 60 countries worldwide.

Fairtrade also gained new customers outside of its traditional markets. Sales grew exponentially in Eastern Europe, South Africa, and many countries in the global south.

Fairtrade cocoa and sugar farmers experienced some of the strongest leaps in sales globally, 35% and 57% respectively, thanks in part to 100% commitments by global chocolate and confectionary brands.

This has been reflected in Australia and New Zealand with Scarborough Fair extending their 100% Fairtrade Certified range and Whittaker’s and Cadbury entering the Fairtrade market for the first time in 2010.

Globally Fairtrade Certified coffee, the pioneering Fairtrade product, grew steadily at 12%.

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