Carmarthenshire maintains its Fairtrade status
It’s official – Carmarthenshire has been awarded Fairtrade status three years in a row.
The county has been recognised for its continued support in promoting the use and availability of Fairtrade products. A large number of local shops, cafes, and restaurants including Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Marks and Spencer and Lidl now stock Fairtrade goods. For two weeks every year communities across Wales and the UK celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight in a bid to raise awareness and the sale of products. To mark the event, and as part of the council’s Start2BSmart sustainability campaign, the council linked up with local wholesaler Alan Price of Cafe Fair Trade to taste test different coffees and teas.
Executive board member for sustainability Cllr Jim Jones said: “The council encourages the use of Fairtrade products as much as possible and is thrilled to receive the status once again. Fair trade encourages environmental responsibility and sustainability, and often lends to more natural and organic means of production, thereby reducing the impact on the environment.”
Fair trade 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, 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.
Cafe Fair trade coffee company, which has a base in Burry Port, was formed 11 years ago to deliver Fairtrade coffee to the work place and coffee shops. Owner Alan Price said: “We source our coffee beans from some of the world’s best coffee producers, and by buying through Fairtrade, we get the pick of the crop enabling us to make amazing coffees.”
For more information on Fair trade beverages visit www.cafefairtrade.co.uk
Fairtrade is about creating opportunities for producers in the developing world to receive a fair price for their goods and to work their way out of poverty. Put simply, it is an opportunity for them to improve their lives and the lives of their families, and is as simple as the choices you make on your weekly shop.
For further information please visit http://www.fairtradewales.com
