British Fair Trade Consumer Research

Despite the tough economic conditions at home, new research from Britain shows shoppers are showing increasing concern over the welfare of people producing their food and groceries in developing countries.

The study from international food and grocery expert IGD discovered that more than half (52%) of shoppers feel that the pay and conditions of people producing their groceries in poorer countries is an important consideration, while an additional third (34%) would like these workers to enjoy good conditions even if they don’t normally think about it.

Results of this IGD research are published in an article on the website Australian Food News. Click here to read the rest of the results on the British Fair Trade Research.

Cadbury´introducing international FairTrade Certification

Cadbury´s the UK confectioner advised that they will launch their Fairtrade cerfication on their Dairy Milk international, in countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada. This Fairtrade dairy Milk has been succesfully launched in Great Britain and Ireland earlier this year.

Furthermore they are planning to certificate their Dairy Milk chocolate with the Fairtrade certificate.

For more information on the international fairtrade plans take a look here.

Understanding Fair Trade - Examples and best practises

Consumer Confidence – Understanding Fair Trade

The website EcoXOXO.com is a website specialized in green retailing, green products and eco-fashion. They offer innovative products, made of recycled, sustainable and renewable materials. The production methods of these clothes, the welness of the employees and the environmental effect of the production are key factors for this company. Green products are offered from non-biodegrable materials.

The section of Fair Trade shows the selection of the fair trade companies and the effect of selecting these companies.

The selection of the fair trade companies is very strict. Fair trade rules are a way of ensuring that trading partnerships are based on reciprocal benefits and mutual respect. And, that they provide equal opportunities for all people, including advancement, and the right to organize. It ensures that honoust prices are calculated and that wages be fair in the local context. Also, the companies must be open to public accountability to ensure that national health, safety, and wage laws be upheld. And finally, that products be environmentally sustainable and conserve natural resources. It is important that you purchase products from underdeveloped nations whose counterparts abide by these practices. Otherwise, the impoverished remain powerless.

At their website in the section Fair Trade you can some selection of their fair trade projects and the story about these projects.

Fair Trade Guidelines: http://www.ecoxoxo.com/Fair_Trade.htm

Supermarket Sainsbury´s launches plan to support homeless people

The local supermarket in Peterborough, which belongs to the big UK retailer Sainsbury´s launched today its plan to help the homeless people. This charity cause is charity of the year mentions the website International Supermarket News. The plan includes dinners, customer participations and in-store activities.

The plan with the project name, “Hosanna” will arrange raffles and theme dinners, like for example with christmas. The local supermarket of Peterborough also reserved space and invites their customers to donate clothes for the homeless people.

As far as we could find out this Sainsbury´s supermarket is the first and only of this chain organizing this project.

For more information on this charity project of this supermarket take a look at this news article.

Carrefour: the social responsability of a big retailer: the success of the social grocery stores

Carrefour, the large French retailer, started 5 years ago a plan to give something back to the society. In Belgium they opened their first social grocery store, a corner store where the Business experience in Retailing and the wish to support an increasing number of poor families with food and non-food articles.

The first aim of this store concept was to provide grocery products, hygiene products and cleaning products free of charge or with a big discount. The stores are located close to the target group, at the first store 250 families. The store concept also supports social integration, the employees are younger people who get trained and educated to obtain experience and a possible job at the hypermarkets and supermarkets of Carrefour. In Belgium currently there are 5 of these social corner stores.

The store is provided with samples sent by the central purchasing department (from textile, home and garden and toys departments) or with specific pallets from the warehouses. Such products are 80% cheaper than the price people actually pay in the GB-branded shops and Carrefour Belgium shops. The store design was realized with the equipment no longer used in the main stores.
Local companies and organizations are involved in material and logistic support, taking part in the shops’ performances. The group supplies the corner stores with the required equipment (aisle shelves, refrigerators, display shelves).

The employees have shown real enthusiasm as well as solidarity related to their job, as 5 grocery shops were opened in Belgium and 6 of them in France. 561 Carrefour hypermarkets have been involved. The retail concept also further expanded internationally, with the opening of the first social grocery shop in Athens, and the wish to further roll-out the concept in the different countries Carrefour is present.

At this link you can find information on the opening and the second social grocery store that Carrefour opened in Greece (Piraeus)

www.carrefour.fr

www.jdv-trc.blogspot.com

Website Green America Today platform for your search on Fair Trade information

The American website Green America Today encourages consumers to buy and consume green and offers solutions to companies to act green. On their website there is an interesting section about Fair Trade. Below you can see a copy of their initial page on Fair Trade. By clicking the links you get to their website and can find answers about what Fair Trade Means and what you can do.

Fair Trade is a people-powered solution to global economic injustice. It is a system of trade based on direct relationships and partnerships between buyers in the global north and producing communities in developing countries.

Fair Trade helps ensure that farmers and artisans throughout the developing world receive a fair price for their products, have direct involvement in the marketplace, and uphold environmental and labor rights standards. The system builds real and lasting relationships between producers in developing countries and businesses and consumers around the world.

Green America serves the Fair Trade community as public educators, encouraging people to support Fair Trade while providing them the means to do so. We encourage using your spending power to influence the market and help reshape the global economy to one that works for all people and the planet. Use this site to learn about Fair Trade, its products and producers, and what you can do to make a difference.

Discover ...

• What is Fair Trade?
• Products & Producer Profiles
• What You Can Do
• Get Involved: Green America's Fair Trade Alliance
• Resources
• Order the Guide to Fair Trade

http://www.greenamericatoday.org/programs/fairtrade/

Jos de Vries The Retail Company launches at LinkedIn the Group Innovative Retail Concepts

Jos de Vries The Retail Company started the group "Innovative Retail Concepts" at www.linkedin.com for retail professionals to share knowledge and follow the latest trends on innovative (green) retail concepts.

We invite you to join this group and follow the news and to have discussions with other retail professionals.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2120501

Regards,

Maurice van der Kooij