Fair trade becoming too business?

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Christophe
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Fair trade becoming too business?




by Christophe » 15/05/09, 10:35

"The Hidden Face of Fair Trade: How Business Takes a Hand on a Generous Idea" by Frederic Karpyta, Editions Bourin, April 2009

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Fair trade, which had the ambition to make the world a better place, is today in crisis.

We have never sold so many "fair trade" products in France: packets of coffee or tea, but also bananas, mangoes, dried fruit, jeans, t-shirts, sheets, quilts ... Consumers are discovering them as well on the shelves of their supermarket than in fashion or decoration shops. A majority of labels carry a “Fairtrade / Max Havelaar” logo, named after an international association which just celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2008, an association considered to be the promoter of fair trade in France.

But to develop and ensure opportunities for small producers of coffee, cocoa or bananas, fair trade has chosen to ally with mass distribution and the food industry. With the risk of losing his soul there, and of compromising the situation of those same that he wanted to help.
Frederic Karpyta gives us a fascinating and politically incorrect investigation, rich in anecdotes, examples and testimonies.


The hidden face of fair trade: How business gets its hands on a generous idea, by Frederic Karpyta, Editions Bourin, April 2009, USBN: 9782849411209, 280 p., 17 euros.

http://www.bourin-editeur.fr/livre/la-f ... reuse.html
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by Christophe » 15/05/09, 10:44

I know that I am a sweet dreamer but a few remarks:

a) Fair trade should NOT EXIST because all trade SHOULD BE fair BY DEFINITION!

b) fair does not necessarily rhyme with ecological!

c) local fair trade exists, without excessive marketing, for example in AMAPs. Oxfam stores also allow local "recovery" of really nice and inexpensive items. I wonder if Emaüss is not fair trade either?
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by Christine » 15/05/09, 11:21

We can ask the same questions about organic in supermarkets, far from the concept of respect for products, the land, consumers (and traders - no offense to some!) Which can be the motivation of the organic purchasing act.
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