Irish sales of Fairtrade products jumped 30 per cent to about €6.5 million last year as more consumers became aware of the label's contribution to developing countries and as more retailers stocked goods bearing the Fairtrade mark, a new report shows.
Worldwide sales of Fairtrade products increased 37 per cent to €1.1 billion, according to the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation (FLO), which has 20 national initiatives across the globe. About 300 companies became involved with Fairtrade in 2005.
In Ireland, Fairtrade products are sold in most supermarket chains, including Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Londis, Centra, SuperValu and Spar. Marks & Spencers switched its entire range of coffee to Fairtrade earlier this year and is working on doing the same for its tea range.
Fairtrade coffee and tea are also sold by an increasing number of high-street outlets and workplace canteens. Thomas Read Group, one of Ireland's largest bar operators, sources all of its coffee from Fairtrade producers, while O'Brien's Irish Sandwich Bars switched its tea products to Fairtrade in March, when Bob Geldolf launched "Fairtrade Fortnight" in Dublin.
"There are more Fairtrade products available, better distribution, and the prices have become more competitive and there is less of a differential with normal coffee for consumers," said Peter Gaynor, executive director of Fairtrade Mark Ireland.
A survey carried out by Mr Gaynor's organisation found in April that the proportion of Irish adults who were aware of the Fairtrade logo had climbed to 50 per cent, up from 44 per cent in December 2004.