Fairtrade

We were founded on ethical trade. It runs through every part of our business and it’s why we’re dedicated to supporting fairer trading and the aims of the World Fairtrade Organization and Fairtrade Charter. We try and sell as many Fairtrade products as we possibly can by taking into account the fact that we have smaller, more local shops, all of which sell mainly food and drink.

We were the first UK retailer to source all of our cocoa on Fairtrade terms and launch the world’s first and only own brand 100% Fairtrade chocolate range. Every spoonful of cocoa we use helps to provide around £450,000 a year in Premiums for farmers across West Africa and Central America.

Nothing beats a good cuppa. And by good, we mean one that’s made using Fairtrade tea that supports communities in Kenya, India and Malawi. It couldn’t be easier as all of our own brand tea has been Fairtrade since 2008 with every brew made helping to support tens of thousands of tea smallholder farmers, workers and their communities.

How do you like your coffee? We think it should be improving lives by supporting smallholder resilience and livelihoods in South America, Africa and South East Asia. We switched our entire own brand coffee range to Fairtrade back in 2003 when prices were at a 30-year low and farmers were struggling to afford to grow their coffee and we have continued this commitment to this day.

Back in 2004, we became the first retailer to start selling Fairtrade sugar. Now it’s the only type we have on our shelves following a promise we made to support Belize smallholder associations in improving their social, economic and environmental conditions. This has been achieved in collaboration with Tate & Lyle Sugars. Sweet!

We’re bananas about Fairtrade bananas. In 2000, we were the first to stock them. Then in 2012 we switched all of our bananas to Fairtrade and launched our unique banana sourcing model committing to 100% supply from banana co-operatives with at least 50% sourced from smallholder farmers. In 2018, we then decided that whenever we use bananas as an ingredient, Fairtrade farmers and workers benefit.

Did you know that we were the first retailer to only use 100% Fairtrade roses when sourced from Africa?

Let’s raise a glass to our retailer firsts in Fairtrade wine! In 2001 we were the first retailer to launch an own-brand fairly traded wine, the Co-op Chilean Carmenere. 14 years later, in 2015 we were delighted to be named the largest Fairtrade wine seller in the world! In 2022 we proudly announced that all South African wine, across branded and own label is now Fairtrade, another industry first!

Find out how our unique partnership with Traidcraft supports burners and workers in Namibia with our Fairtrade charcoal and BBQ set sales.