Fairtrade Fortnight 2006: So why should we care about fair trade?

Related pages: Millennium Development Goal 8: Aid, Trade, Growth | DFID gives £1 million for fair trade (March, 2005) | Towards a better deal on trade (March 2006)

Fair trade is an incredibly powerful idea. Bybuying a fairtrade product from someone we’ve never met we know that that person will get a fair price for their labour. This helps to mitigate the impact of falling prices for the things poor people produce, like cocoa, coffee and sugar.

Taking action at home to help people in the developing world is exactly what fairtrade is all about.

But for all the success of fair trade products, rich countries need to address the underlying causes of trade inequality, and that is the thornier issue of trade justice.

Rich countries, including the UK, need to do more to create a less distorted trading system. 2006 is the last chance for a deal that will truly benefit poor countries.

The good news is that people don’t have to wait for governments to change lives. We can all make a contribution simply by picking a fair trade product off the shelf. It sends a clear message to the decision makers – give the poor people in the developing world a chance.

• Hilary Benn, our Secretary of State, made the above comments in The Sunday Telegraph as part ofFair Trade Fortnight (6-19 March, 2006). Read the full article on fair trade

• For personal accounts from developing country producers and leaders, and more about DFID's thinking on trade read our feature on 'Towards a better deal on trade'
• Did you know that 1 out of every 14 bars of premium dark chocolate bought in the UK is sold under the Divine brand? For more, look at our Fair Trade factsheet
• Or find out how to get hold of your copy of Trade Matters, completely free
• Looking for ideas on how to get involved?Look at our Rough Guide to a Better World

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