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FAQ's

1) What is fair trade?

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

2) What is the FAIRTRADE Label?

The FAIRTRADE Label is an independent consumer label which appears on products as a guarantee that they have been certified against internationally agreed Fairtrade standards.  It shares internationally recognised Fairtrade standards with initiatives in 20 other countries, working together globally with producer networks as Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO). The Label indicates that the product has been certified to give a better deal to the producers involved – it does not act as an endorsement of an entire company’s business practices. It was introduced in Australia and New Zealand in 2003.

3) Who benefits from the Fairtrade labelling system?

Fairtrade provides tangible benefits to small-scale farmers and workers, consumers and the environment.

Small-scale Farmers and Workers: The Fairtrade system benefits approximately 1 million workers and farmers in 58 developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Including their dependents, fivemillion people are affected. Fairtrade certification allows them to achieve economic independence and empowerment while improving their standards of living. Beyond being paid a fair price for their produce, Fairtrade Premiums enable producers to better their communities by providing:

  • Improved access to low or no-interest loans
  • Technical assistance for building infrastructure to improve production
  • Communications systems, and collectively-owned transport and processing equipment
  • Better health care and education
  • Technical training and skill diversification for cooperative members and their families

The Fairtrade system benefits consumers by:
 

  • Giving them the option of purchasing according to their principles and values,
  • Empowering them to be a player in the solution to global trade inequities
  • Providing them with products of superior quality
  • Assuring them of the ethical source of their food and non-food purchases

Environment: Fair Trade rewards and encourages farming and production practices that are environmentally sustainable, such as:
 

  • Integrated farm management systems which minimize pollutants, pesticides and herbicides
  • Organic agriculture techniques
  • Banning the use of dangerous pesticides

4) What Fairtrade certified products are available?

In Australia and New Zealand, the main Fairtrade certified products available are coffee, tea, chocolate cocoa, nuts,cotton and sportsballs. Some retailers also stock a few other food products such as rice and quinoa.

5) Are Fairtrade certified products also organic?

Not necessarily. Fairtrade criteria however require sustainable farming techniques, and offer an extra Premium for organic production. Revenues from Fairtrade cooperatives are often used to train producers in organic and sustainable techniques like composting and integrating recycled materials.

6) Do Fairtrade certified products cost more?

Not all Fairtrade certified products cost more than conventional products. Where the Fairtrade certified products do cost more, there are many factors to be considered. Often they are of a superior quality due to their organic farming practices. There are other factors such as scale of economy. Production of smaller quantities can often cost producers and processors more at every turn (packaging, transport, etc) because they cannot benefit from a large enough scale to use as a bargaining position. Finally, retailers make the choice to set the final price to consumers. Retail pricing is not controlled or influenced by FLO or any of the National Initiatives. The National Initiative verifies the minimum guaranteed price has been made to the producer but the final price asked of the consumer is solely the decision of the retailer.

7) How big is the Fairtrade market?

2008 was an exciting year for Fairtrade in Australia and New Zealand. Retail sales of Fairtrade Labelled products in Australia & New Zealand have passed a cumulative total of AU$70 million, over the 5 years since the first Fairtrade products were sold in the country (September 2003). There was more than AU$32 million in retail sales of Fairtrade Certified products in the 2008 calendar year in Australia & New Zealand compared to AU$18 million in 2007. In Australia alone, 2008 retail sales exceeded AU$23 million. This remarkable growth is a reflection of the global Fairtrade trend. Businesses and consumers are increasingly choosing Fairtrade and the number of Fairtrade licensed operators, Fairtrade importers, and companies retailing Fairtrade products is continuing to grow.  There are currently 167 businesses now licensed to sell Fairtrade products in Australia and New Zealand – 125 in Australia and 42 in New Zealand. Globally, there were US $3.62 billion in sales of Fairtrade Certified products in 2007 – a 48% increase from the previous year.

8) How can I tell if a product is Fairtrade certified?

Look for the Label - Fairtrade certified products always have the FAIRTRADE Label on the front of their packaging.
 
9) Where can I buy fair trade products?

Check out the Fair Trade Association's searchable database of stockists.
 
10) How can I find out more, and get more involved?

Check the Get Involved page on this website to find out about how to get involved locally through Fair Trade Communities, Fair Trade Fortnight and our other options.