The Fair Tracing Project

Sir Terry Leahy of Tesco spoke at the Green City Initiative on March 12th to explain how economic growth and environmental sustainability can be made compatible:

“First, we are going to give our customers clear information about the carbon cost of the products they buy. That’s why we have started the quest for a universally accepted and commonly understood measure of the carbon footprint of every product we sell – looking at its complete life-cycle from production, through distribution to consumption.

“It’s a complicated task, but the goal is simple. I want us to come up with a clear system of labelling so that in future customers will be able to compare a product’s carbon footprint just as easily as they can currently compare its price or nutritional value.”

Read the press release.

Yesterday was the last day of Fairtrade Fortnight – look at the Fairtrade Foundation’s long list of businesses (http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/pr260207.htm)  who have used this to announce new initiatives in the direction of Fairtrade:

“The growing appetite for Fairtrade and consumer demand for Fairtrade certified products has led to an explosion of company interest in Fairtrade. As well as Sainsbury’s switch to 100 percent Fairtrade bananas, significant developments include Next and Debenhams launching their first clothes made with Fairtrade certified cotton, whilst Marks & Spencer is increasing its range to provide an ‘outfit for all the family’ and has converted all of their whole fresh pineapples to 100% Fairtrade. As well as promoting Fairtrade Fortnight with national TV advertising, the Co-op will launch Fairtrade cotton shopping bags. Boots are launching a range of babywear from Hug called Little Green Radicals and TK Maxx are selling this year’s Comic Relief T shirts which are made of Fairtrade Certified Cotton. Monsoon are launching a new range of T shirts using Fairtrade Certified Cotton in Spring. Top Shop are launching a range of clothing with the fair trade pioneer company People Tree called ‘People Tree for Top Shop’.

Tesco is extending its range of Fairtrade nuts to five items ranging from brazil nuts to a peanut, cashew and mango mix, Thresher’s is launching a range of Fairtrade wines, and Waitrose is switching its banana range to 100% Fairtrade and introducing a range of Fairtrade roses. Expanded ranges of fresh produce will be the focus of in-store promotions in Morrison’s and Asda. Meanwhile three long-standing Fairtrade pioneers – Traidcraft, Cafédirect and Divine Chocolate – have all marked the start of 2007 with eye-catching new packaging designs. Cafédirect’s revamped range now includes ‘Special Selection’ and single origin coffees. AMT Coffee, which was the first national coffee company to go 100% Fairtrade, will be promoting the film BLACK GOLD in their coffee bars, giving out postcards and running a ’50% off coffee’ offer when customers present their cinema tickets.”

From longstanding Fairtrade pioneers to discount supermarkets – quite a mixed bunch, and underneath the Fairtrade label these actors occupy very different positions on the “ethical continuum” that is Fair Trade…Time to Fairtrace them!