Can the planet be saved by fair trade products? The answer is, they are definitely a contributing factor in hopes for a green future. Fair trade is defined as a partnership in trading aiming to combine sustainable manufacturing of goods with trading conditions that do not put producers at a disadvantage. These conditions involve such issues as employee rights, fair pay and safe working environments, particularly in regions Western countries outsource their production to. Ideally, regular monitoring from companies themselves, authorities, organizations (local and international) ensure that requirements are fairly met. Fair trade extends to many industries that consumers have to do with on a regular basis when they simply
, food or clothes shopping being common examples. Following fair trade principles is also closely linked to
Coffee, fruit and textiles are bestsellers
The German consumer space is becoming more and more attuned to the connection between consumption and sustainability in all its far-reaching forms.
Fair trade product sales experienced explosive growth levels in the last decade alone. If in 2013 sales generated around 654 million euros worth of revenue, ten years later the figure amounted to roughly 2.56 billion euros. But which are the best-selling fairtrade products in Germany? Based on recent figures, coffee, fruit and textiles were the top three
product groups consumers looked for. The number of German consumers
paying attention to whether the products they are buying when shopping are fair trade certified has grown in recent years. As of 2023, around 16.74 million people made sure of the label on their item of choice. An additional point is transparency behind a fair trade label on a product, a label the consumer needs to trust and understand. To guarantee this, clear and up-to-date regulations implemented on international markets are necessary for thriving fair trade production.
To be fair
The
most sold fair trade products in the world were not dissimilar to the German favorites. Flowers and plants topped the list, followed by bananas and cocoa beans, as of 2022. Cocoa is one of the products exemplary of the necessity of fair trade regulations. Cacao trees, the source of cocoa beans, do not grow in Europe, but in Central and South America. This means that harvesting takes place there, with import partners relying on these regions for supplying
cocoa demand back home. Fair trade production in regions outside of Europe takes on additional complexity due to distance, international laws, and respective job markets. It is a trading partnership of particular intricacy, but one where its success will hopefully have far-reaching impact on a positive future for consumers and businesses alike.
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