Global sales of Fairtrade certified products have reached € 1.1 billion mark in 2005, according to new figures released by Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International. This represents an increase of more than a third over 2004 and a sign of growing adherence to the Fairtrade mark. Says Luuk Zonneveld, Managing Director of FLO International:
“The certification system behind the cheering person in the Certification Mark is absolutely independent from any interest, and this is what people trust.”
The new findings from FLO Internationall highlight the importance that one producer or retailer can make in this growing but still small market segment. In 2005, the Marks & Spencer’s stores in the UK switched all their coffee and tea products to Fairtrade. This alone is estimated to have increased the value of all Fairtrade instant and ground coffee sold in UK supermarkets by 18%, and increased the value of Fairtrade tea by approximately 30%.
Want to know the market share for fair trade bananas or coffee? Check the FLO Annual Report.
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