Co-operative members and customers are being encouraged to mark Fairtrade Fortnight (23 February – 9 March) by setting up a wine tasting session with friends, family and neighbours.
With almost 80% of the UK public recognising the FAIRTRADE mark, The Co-operative – the first retailer to launch own-brand fairly traded wine in 2001 - has produced an easy-to-use wine tasting kit after new research reveals that nearly two-thirds of shoppers are unaware that wine can be Fairtrade.
Figures show consumer appetite is strong for Fairtrade with almost 70% of consumers wanting supermarkets to do more to help producers in developing countries, however almost one in five (18%) remain unclear about what Fairtrade really means. And, while more than three quarters of consumers are familiar with Fairtrade coffee (87%), tea (83%) and bananas (76%), awareness levels for many of the more than 250 Fairtrade products available remain low, such as Fairtrade blueberries (22% aware) and roses (20%).
The tasting toolkit from The Co-operative – the first major retailer to champion Fairtrade – helps to celebrate the impact of Fairtrade through its products and producers. The pack includes a tasting guide, notes on Fairtrade wines available from Co-operative Food stores and, scoring cards so participants can grade the various products. The pack also offers tips on how to set up a tasting, a suggested running order, a list of what is needed and, a £5 voucher to purchase Co-operative Fairtrade products. (Subject to availability, excludes alcohol).
Russell Gill, head of membership and social goals at The Co-operative, said: “Fairtrade is about delivering a fair deal for the producers whilst offering the customer products which represent superb quality and value for money. By purchasing Fairtrade products, Co-operative members and customers are also helping to provide social funding directly to support producer communities, giving them more control over their lives and futures.
“The Co-operative was the first major retailer to champion Fairtrade, and has invested beyond the standard Fairtrade requirements to provide life-transforming basic necessities like clean water, sanitation, housing and education.
“We are keen to encourage participation in Fairtrade Fortnight and, a tasting event, for instance, can be both great fun and a way to find out more about the benefits of buying Fairtrade – strengthening the consumer-producer connection which is vitally important.
“The pack we have produced makes it really easy to set up a tasting, and there is £1 off seven different Fairtrade wines at The Co-operative Food during Fairtrade Fortnight to help wine lovers to discover for themselves just how good Fairtrade products really are.”
For more information about The Co-operative’s tasting toolkit, and to find a host of Fairtrade events taking place UK-wide during Fairtrade Fortnight, click here.
The Co-operative’s Fairtrade Firsts
- The Co-operative was the first major retailer to champion Fairtrade, pioneering the sale of fairly traded goods before the FAIRTRADE mark was introduced.
- The Co-operative was the first UK supermarket to sell Fairtrade bananas in 2000. During Fairtrade Fortnight 2012 it introduced the conversion of 100% of its bananas to Fairtrade.
- In 2001, The Co-operative became the first supermarket to launch own-brand fairly traded wine.
- The Co-operative was the first supermarket to sell Fairtrade sugar in 2005, and in 2008 all of its own-brand sugar was converted to Fairtrade.
- In 2008 The Co-operative converted its entire range of own-brand tea to Fairtrade.
- In 2010, the Co-operative became the first supermarket to sell Fairtrade fresh blueberries.
- In 2013, The Co-operative converted all of its own-brand bunches of standard and single stem roses to Fairtrade.
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