LONDON, UK — Fairtrade Fortnight is the highlight of the year for the Fairtrade movement in the UK and in 2019 it will run from Monday 25 February until Sunday 10 March. Fairtrade is also celebrating 25 years of Fairtrade in the UK.
A multi-faceted, celebrity fronted campaign will call on the British public to support a living income for some of the world’s poorest farmers and workers around the world.
Over 90% of British people recognise the Fairtrade Mark and during Fairtrade Fortnight the Foundation will be supported by the wide network of campaigners, chefs, foodies and businesses to shine a light on the challenges faced by farmers and workers who produce the things we love to eat, drink and wear.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2019 will go even further than before and call on the British public not to feed exploitation.
Fairtrade reveals that without a living income basic human rights like decent food, accommodation and schooling will not be achievable. The average living income for a cocoa farmer is £1.86* a day, yet what they earn from cocoa typically falls far short of that [1]. Incomes are low and uncertain, that’s why Fairtrade Fortnight 2019 focuses on the women who grow the cocoa for our chocolate treats with a new She Deserves a Living Income campaign. Fairtrade will highlight some of the things many of us take for granted, such as education, housing and healthcare, that a living income can provide.
Fairtrade is the most widely recognised ethical label in the world and one that has paved a more conscious way of shopping since it started more than 22 years ago.
It currently works with 1.6 million farmers and workers across 74 developing countries, providing a safety net against volatile market prices and the Fairtrade Premium – often the only resource to improve their social, economic and environmental conditions.
Last year’s campaign saw more than 6,000 Fairtrade events being held across the country, with the UK’s main retailers supporting its call to action in store and online.
More information about the campaign and how to get involved: www.fairtrade.org.uk/fortnight
[1] Based on Ivory Coast incomes, Fairtrade and True Price, 2018.
*price calculated based on exchange rates on time of writing
