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Fair Trade foods, including fruit, drinks, sugar, rice, oil, chocolate, vanilla, herbs, and olive oil, are becoming more popular as consumers demand ethically sourced products. Fair Trade certification requires safe working conditions, fair wages, and environmentally friendly production methods. Over a quarter of bananas sold in Europe and the US are Fair Trade, and other popular Fair Trade foods include pineapples, grapes, and mangoes. The demand for Fair Trade chocolate, rice, and spices is also increasing due to concerns about child labor and some products are sold with the promise of using proceeds for healthcare and education.
The number and types of Fair Trade foods are steadily increasing. Currently, fair trade fruit, drinks and sugar are readily available. Other Fair Trade food offerings include rice, oil, and chocolate. Cooking ingredients such as vanilla extract and vanilla pods, various herbs and ginger are used by numerous companies who label their products as fair trade items.
The term Fair Trade has similar definitions in countries around the world. Most countries that require items to be certified before they can be sold as fair trade foods require manufacturers to meet certain requirements. Employees must work safely and earn a fair wage. Furthermore, fair trade food must have been grown or produced using methods that do not harm the environment.
Numerous tropical fruits are sold as fair trade products. Currently, over a quarter of all bananas sold in Europe and the United States are Fair Trade foods. In addition to bananas, other Fair Trade fruits commonly sold include pineapples, grapes, and mangoes.
Many consumers are aware of the growing popularity of fair trade coffee, tea and wine. Fair trade coffee was first introduced to American consumers over a decade ago. Green, white and black tea soon followed. Wine made from Fairtrade-certified grapes and produced using Fairtrade-approved methods has been available in the United States since 2007, four years after it became available on the European market.
Fair trade sweeteners, such as molasses and sugar, are becoming more available on store shelves as consumers become more aware of agricultural conditions. Vanilla extract and vanilla beans, while not as commonly available, are found in groceries aimed at a green-conscious clientele. Herbs used for tea or cooking, such as peppermint, eggplant and lemongrass, can be purchased from Fair Trade importers.
Palestinian olive oil is another fair trade food that is gaining popularity. Groceries that cater to consumers who identify as having a social conscience are more likely to stock Fair Trade olive oil than is a supermarket chain. However, in some areas, this is starting to change.
More and more consumers are insisting on fair trade chocolate, rice and spices. This is partly due to widespread media coverage of the high degree of child labor these unfair commercial products employ. In some cases, these products are sold with the stipulation that a portion of the proceeds will be used to provide health care and education.
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