Un FairTrade

It made me really angry to hear that bully boy supermarkets are bypassing FairTrade to set up their own watered down version. Shame on you Sainsbury's, Tesco, and any others who want to be unfair!

I immediately emailed the two key people involved telling them they would lose me if they lose FairTrade, and that I would do all in my power to take as many with me as possible. I'll give you their contact details at the end. To be fair to Sainsbury's I had a reply informing me they sell more FairTrade than any other outlet, and that their pilot Fairly Traded tea scheme "aims to boost tea farmers' resilience and ability to adapt".

So what are the facts about FairTrade being challenged? It should thrive, because that's its purpose! The foundation exists to "denounce the deceit and corruption of evil" to quote from our baptism promises. 

marccortez.com/2013/10/01/

baptism-when-is-my-child-old-enough

It only has credibility because it demands that producers receive fair dues for their work, and that greed is curtailed. Not only that, it does this in the market place of ideas, as well as through competitive products. 

On the other hand blind market forces are "good at creating wealth, but poor at distributing wealth" to quote Lord Sacks. Or as Rutger Bregman pithily put it "Wealth isn’t created at the top. It is merely devoured there".

If the Sainsbury's scheme is such an improvement, why is it being imposed on producers? Surely that is in itself unfair. There is no detail in the claim that the pilot will improve resilience and adaptability; why not? By being greedy, it could so easily lose its fine reputation for Faitrade. What a waste.

We can challenge the ethics of Tesco, or Sainsbury's as shareholders [if we are], as consumers, and in the market place of ideas. Let's stand up for justice. That's what is required of us, "Do justice, love kindness, and walk humble with your God", to quote Micah chapter 6, verse 8. These words are beautifully carved on St Osmund's chancel screen.

You and I can make a huge difference, and might pick up the whiff of fingers burned. I invite you to get in touch with these two:
Mike.Coupe@sainsburys.co.uk
john.allan@uk.tesco.com

Fair must remain fair.