A look at Fairtrade Fortnight and other milestones in fair trade
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by: lw
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Word Count: 458
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 Time: 2:55 AM
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Recent YouGov data (published at Retail Week) showed a 12 percent growth in fair trade gifts, chocolate and other goods through 2009 due, at least in part, to the moves of major supermarkets and cosmetics manufacturers. Let's take a look at some of the major moves being by the Fairtrade Foundation, and others, in order to promote the fair trade cause and make the switch to fair trade practices.
The Big Swap
Perhaps an ambitious move, the Fairtrade Foundation have launched The Big Swap campaign in Spring 2010 which urges consumers to opt for the fair trade version of their favourite products. Swaps can range from all kinds of everyday goods, from coffee, bananas and chocolate, to non-edible items such as cosmetics and clothes - with the target being to record one million and one swaps by the end of Fairtrade Fortnight in March.
TV Advertising
With the launch of The Big Swap being something of a feat in itself, those watching TV in the UK during February and March 2010 may have noticed some significant advertising milestones. At 8.15 on Thursday 25th February, Channel 4 broadcasted the first ad-break entirely dedicated to fairly traded products. The break was co-ordinated by the channel to promote Fairtrade Fortnight and includes a commercial for The Big Swap as well as a range of other companies making significant moves into fair trade, including Co-op and Starbucks.
Ben and Jerry's
The arrival of Fairtrade Fortnight also saw a large number of household name brands and companies announce a turn to fairly traded products and practices, but the latest pledge by Ben and Jerry's is perhaps one of the most significant. Ten years after the founders of one of the world's most well-known and socially-conscious ice cream brands announced being bought out from Unilever, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield proposed in February 2010 to use entirely fair trade ingredients across all their products by 2013 - a first for any ice cream company and a another milestone for such practices.
Cadbury's Big Swap Songs
Making something pf a song and dance about their moves to use fairly traded cocoa, Cadbury's have released an eight track album called Big Swap Songs. The confectioner recently announced that they would be investing £45 million to invest in sustainable farming methods in Ghana, India, South East Asia and the Caribbean - and to celebrate they have chosen Paulo Nutini and The Big Ghana Band to collaborate on a number of re-workings of songs from such artists as Goldfrapp and Elbow, as well as Nutini's own hit Pencil Full of Lead. The album can be downloaded online and was available on CD from March.
About the Author
Lauren Faulkner writes for fair trade furniture and gifts retailer Uneeka. This article was originally published on their blog at: http://www.uneeka.com/blog/2010/02/fairtrade-fortnight-heralds-number-of.html
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