Fair Trade

[4GS]

Do you buy Fair Trade produce?
We get our tea, coffee, fruit etc where we see the logo but, do you think Fair Trade is a good idea or just a drop in the ocean?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_trade

[raysparx1]

Drop in the Ocean john, the people that sort it will always screw them down, maybe one day it will all be fair, but I won't hold my breath.

I think most people will always go for the cheapest and not worry where it comes from.

[dot.hawkes]

we have bought fairtrade quite alot, especially as our local shop in the previous house was a co-op, who use stock lots of it, a very good range, at work Debs use fair trade products as prizes for staf incentives, especially bars of chocolate!! : ))) I have an example here!!!!

[raysparx1]

Read this john if you really think it will work.

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/alex_singl eton/2008/02/unfair_trade_status.html

[andrea81]

Until every supermarket gets on board with it, I think people will still buy what is cheaper or the brand they prefer! I think it is in an ideal world!

The supermarkets can't even look after our own farmers with the little they get for milk and livestock!

[4GS]

That's why I was asking Ray, We've been buying Fair Trade for about 4 years now, but I heard over the weekend that it wouldn't make much difference anyway.

Thanks for the link, I was searching for one for this post

[raysparx1]

It is very unfair john, but as we all know, these big corporations are in it to make money, not make friends and as cynical as it may sound I don't think it will ever change, greed breeds greed, profit is the king, long live the king, that is all they care about.

look at the profit made from football shirts, these shirts cost pence to make yet are what ? �50 each here.. even with something like that the big football clubs could stop it, will they stop it ? in a word No. they love the money. makes me sick.

[dot.hawkes]

At work i occasionally get women turning the nose up at the price point of a shoe, they make comments like, they probably cost pence to make, this is a misconception, the product is sourced with the specific criteria that the people who make the shoe are paid an acceotable rate based on the local economy, this ensures that the company in the UK cannot be deemed to be obraining the product at the expense of peoples human rights. With production costs at course, shipping, marketing, retaling and staffing costs, this places the price point at a level that the compnay is able to continue trading without anyone along the line being unfairly taken advantage of, except me, i don;t earn enough lol

[annie0000]

Apparantly buying fairtrade is very un-environmentally friendly due to the food miles (travel distance) that the food comes - you are supposed to buy local - I guess for tea and coffee and some other produce that is not possible, but you sometimes feel that you can't do right for doing wrong!

[dot.hawkes]

bananas is a good example I suppose, they have to come along way, they always did, but I try to buy fairtrade.

[logic]

Why is it that only dot and sparky have got stars, EH EH ?
And you talk about being fair.Lol

[raysparx1]

Yes dot I can see that, but it is not just about cost is it, it is profit big profit, re the football shirts, the same companies make the replica ones they sell for a few pounds over here, so why the huge mark up, and it is not just about a fair price it is treating [people fairly also, and until the sweat shops are done away with,(which will never happen) and the big companys like marks and spencer, Nike etc, know it goes on but turn a blind eye, they are also here in the UK, In london, there are these sweat shops, illegal immigrants and kids work in them, it will never ever end.

[weeal]

hey RAY
sorry to hijack your thread 4GD lol

ray did u see my post in How it Works re my electrics?? can you advise me on it a wee bitty please re 15amp burning out in a 5amp holder??

ta mucho

[theonlyone]

I shop in the Co-op and a lot of the products
are fairtrade ...and I do buy fairtrade ..maybe
a little bit is better than none ..if everyone
went anti Planet Tesco ..who knows !!
Tesco are not in to saving the planet ..
they control it ....just my views ...will wait
for the flak ...hard hat will be worn !!!

[raysparx1]

I think what you say is very fair theonlyone, but it will never happen will it, it is all down to cost and profit, they buy cheap because they control the market, they screw suppliers, the public get cheaper goods, they are happy, big profits for Tescos, result, happy people, but one day, i hope the whole bloody lot will explode, but I doubt it, money talks.

[theonlyone]

I know a man who grew lettuce for Tesco ..
they were too big ..would feed 4 people ..
they want people to buy 2 as more profit ..
the man said get ...what do you think ..
Sparkie !! he ploughed it in to the ground ..
now does farmers markets ..local shops etc..
there is a life outside of the big shops ..

[raysparx1]

Thats great news theonlyone, needs more farmers markets, great produce at fair prices and the people that produce, get the profit, the big boys have screwed the milk suppliers for years, lets hope the worm has started to turn,