Fair Trade
What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade does exactly what it says on the tin: it promotes and regulates fair trade for people who otherwise get paid very poorly for their hard work. There are many large commercial companies that are particularly guilty of unfairly paying workers and farmers, while at the same time spending vast amounts of money on advertising and promotion.
Fair Trade facilitates fair trading prices for producers of a variety of commodities, such as cocoa, coffee, tea, sugar, fruit, cotton and even flowers.
Fair Trade in Spain
In supermarkets in Britain, Ireland and other countries in Europe, products bearing the Fair Trade logo have been commonplace for over a decade. However, here in Spain they were impossible to find up until just recently. Even now there are only ever one or two products available in supermarkets, if any. There are currently three large Fair Trade import companies in Spain: Intermón Oxfam, Alternativa and Ideas. All three sell certified Fair Trade products online.
Fair Trade does exactly what it says on the tin: it promotes and regulates fair trade for people who otherwise get paid very poorly for their hard work. There are many large commercial companies that are particularly guilty of unfairly paying workers and farmers, while at the same time spending vast amounts of money on advertising and promotion.
Fair Trade facilitates fair trading prices for producers of a variety of commodities, such as cocoa, coffee, tea, sugar, fruit, cotton and even flowers.
Fair Trade in Spain
In supermarkets in Britain, Ireland and other countries in Europe, products bearing the Fair Trade logo have been commonplace for over a decade. However, here in Spain they were impossible to find up until just recently. Even now there are only ever one or two products available in supermarkets, if any. There are currently three large Fair Trade import companies in Spain: Intermón Oxfam, Alternativa and Ideas. All three sell certified Fair Trade products online.
Intermon Oxfam is the biggest importer of Fair Trade in Spain. There are 45 shops on the peninsula, and one in Majorca. They sell food, cosmetics and handicrafts. There is also their online-shop. Intermón coffee can be found in one or two supermarkets, but it is hard to find! All of their shops are listed on their website.
Alternativa 3 is an official Fair Trade organisation based near Barcelona. It was founded in 1992, and is dedicated to the importation, distribution and commercialisation of food, textiles and handicrafts. It is a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WTFO), a founding member of the 'Coordinadora Estatal de Organizaciones de Comercio Justo' (CECJ) and is associated with the Fairtrade Labeling Association (FLO). It distributes to shops, but also sells products directly through its online-store.
Ideas was one of the first organisations to promote Fair Trade products in Spain, and has been in operation for over 20 years. It is a member of the WFTO, CECJ and founding member of the 'Red de Redes de Economia Alternativa y Solidaria' (REAS). It distributes to shops all over Spain so look out for its label. You can also buy products online here.