Globally, Fairtrade producer organisations can be found in 63 countries and Fairtrade products are sold in over 60. Results of a market research survey conducted in 2011 indicate that there is growing awareness of, and demand for, Fairtrade certified products. Fairtrade shoppers are very loyal to their beliefs and purchasing Fairtrade labelled goods gives consumers a powerful way of reducing poverty through their everyday shopping.
Sales of products
The FAIRTRADE Mark currently appears on a range of products, many of which are commodities exported from Africa — including coffee, tea, cocoa, fresh fruits, juice, honey, wine, dried fruits, nuts and sugar, and non-food products such as: flowers, gold and cotton products (including fashion items and school wear). The Mark can also be found on composite products that use these ingredients in conjunction with others that are not covered by Fairtrade standards, such as hot chocolate drinks, snack bars, chocolate, biscuits, cakes and beer. The range of Fairtrade certified products (products carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark) is growing all the time and standards for new categories will be introduced regularly over the next few years.
- Global sales grew by 24%, with consumers spending an estimated 4.3 billion euros on Fairtrade products in 2010.
- Fairtrade sales grew by at least 25% in ten countries, including Germany (27%), the UK (47%), Spain (85%), Australia and New Zealand (258%), and South Africa (315%).
- These sales generated 48.4 million euros in Fairtrade premium payments for farmers. An increase of 22% in comparison to 2009. The premiums are used by producers to improve their social, environmental and business conditions.
Growth in the number of producers
- There were 905 Fairtrade certified producer organisations at the end of 2010, compared with 827 at the end of 2009.
- Over 1.15 million individual farmers and workers benefit from Fairtrade sales.
- Including family members, it is estimated that over 5 million people benefit directly from Fairtrade.
- There are at least another 70,000 members of organisations affiliated to Fairtrade certified producer groups, who also benefit from Fairtrade. This includes groups not directly involved in the production of Fairtrade products — women’s groups and cattle herders, for example.
Producers in Africa
- At the beginning of 2012, there were 293 Fairtrade certified producers in Africa; a 15% increase from 2010.
- Fairtrade sales revenue for African producers totaled almost 134 million euros in 2009-2010 – or 24% of global Fairtrade sales revenue.
- Fairtrade premiums revenue totaled almost 14 million euros
Fairtrade producers in Africa are exporting a wide variety of products into Fairtrade markets. To know who are the Fairtrade producers in Africa, and for more information on the products they are exporting, please access our database here.
For more information on the impact of Fairtrade, check out the latest monitoring report.