With awareness of the Fairtrade movement and the products available on the increase, it is no wonder we saw the establishment of fairtrade fortnight.
The fortnight was launched earlier this year by Minister of State for Overseas Development Michael Kitt TD. The focus of this year’s campaign was on the simple things Irish people can do to make a real difference to the lives of people in developing countries.
“Fairtrade isn’t just about the products we buy,” said Peter Gaynor, Executive Director, Fairtrade Mark Ireland.
“It’s about the people behind the products we buy, and enabling people in developing countries to have greater opportunities through trade to support themselves, their families and communities,” he said.
According to the figures Irish people are helping these people as sales of fairtrade products increase year on year. Figures for 2007 were over €20 million up from €11.5 million in 2006.
The increase in fairtrade sales and awareness is most evident in Ireland’s first fairtrade town which is Clonakilty in Cork.
Over four years ago Clonakilty added the accolade of becoming Ireland’s first fairtrade town to an already impressive list of awards which includes winner of the tidy towns competition, entente floral and it was also awarded best emerging rural tourism destination 2007.
After Clonakility, Kinsale, Bandon, Skibbereen and Bantry as well as Cork city all jumped on the bandwagon and became fairtrade areas. Another five areas, Glanmire, Mallow, Midleton, Schull and Youghal, are in the process of getting fairtrade town status.
According to the Chairperson of the Clonakilty Fairtrade committee Trevor Kingston:
“In general people were receptive. Part of the criteria was that you had to have one restaurant or hotel competely over to fairtrade teas and coffees, that is the Quality Hotel in Clonakilty.”
He added: “I wouldn’t say if you go into every shop and restaurant in Clonakilty that every place will serve you tea and coffee that is fairtrade, they wont. Some will have it on the menu, some wont and some will only have fair trade.”
All the main supermarket chains in Clonakilty, including Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, Centra, Eurospar and Londis, stock fairtrade products along with the a large number of hotels, restaurant and cafes.
He explained that: “Fairtrade is about helping the producers of these products to help themselves. People are helping those worse off. It’s a positive, feel good thing.”
Mr. Kingston admits that the majority of the work the committee do is promoting and educating the people of Clonakilty about the fairtrade movement and the advantages of buying fairtrade products. A big part is talking to students in schools.
He believes that: “kids are part of the buying process and good at reminding parents to buy fairtrade products.”
SuperValu in Clonakilty have been stocking fairtrade products for the past three years. According to Manager Gabriel Leahy tea, coffee and bananas are the top three fairtrade bestsellers. Although he admits demand for such products was slow at the beginning, it has picked up.
Mr. Leahy believes being Ireland’s first fairtrade town gives a big boost to the town. It gives people a good feeling too that they are supporting people that are poor.
Owner of The Courtyard bar and restaurant Neil Doherty also stocks fairtrade products on his premises. He believes the: “Quality of the fair trade coffee wouldn’t be the quality of some of the other coffee beans out there.”
He notes he has only been asked once in the past two months if the coffee was fairtrade but he does believe being known as a fairtrade town is a positive in general.
Hidden away on Ashe Street is an Aladdin’s cave of fairtrade goods. Etain Hickey collections does not stock your usual fairtrade tea and coffee but a range of arts, crafts and jewellery, as well as stocking West Cork crafts.
Cushions and rugs from a fairtrade company run by an Irish woman in Kashmir are on display in her shop. Bags, wallets and purses are also available to buy. These are called ‘Trash Fash’ and are made by a womens co-op in India out of recycled plastic bags. Fairtrade lanterns that are made from recycled metal parts can also be bought.
Ms. Hickey believes: “Awareness is growing but its unfortunate that it’s mostly at the moment the food, bananas, coffee and chocolate and all that. Im always looking for new products and its actually very difficult to source them. When I go on websites its so much focused on food its difficult to find other things.” She revealed she hopes to stock fairtrade t-shirts for the summer.
But what do the people of Clonakilty think about the fairtrade movement and what fairtrade products, if any, do they buy?
Richard from Clonakilty said he buys fairtrade tea and coffee.
“Having read up on the matter and having discovered the theory and thinking behind it, it’s quite obvious that people are being exploited.”
He points to the fact all public bodies serve fairtrade tea and coffee at their meetings in the town and this is now making its way into “the housewives basket”.
When asked what it means to Clonakilty to be Ireland’s first fairtrade town Richard said:
“From the point of view of social justice it means an awful lot. We in our own small town in a huge worldwide scale are contributing our little bit.”
Cait from Rosscarbery commented how she buys fair trade chcolcate because it tastes nicer than ordinary chocolate and it’s good for the country that it came from.
Maria from Clonakilty has a different opinion on fairtrade products.
“I would not take much notice of the fairtrade products, I would be inclined to support more local products.”
Mary from Clonakilty, who buys fairtrade washing up liquid, tea, coffee and bananas, said she did so because: “People are getting a better deal out of it, it’s not exploiting people. If it was all fairtrade coffee that people had, that one thing alone would make a big difference. It’s just getting people to care enough to swap brands."
Paul also from Clonakilty believes people in Clonakilty are pretty aware of fairtrade but in other areas there not.
Paul who wears a fairtrade badge sometimes believes that:
“If they were distributed a bit more and the kids would wear them, then they would be more aware of the brand name.”
