Alternatives to the Fairtrade label
This thought-provoking A-level lesson introduces students to the concept of ethical trade and to a range of ethical brands and labels.
Students carry out internet research and investigate links between fair trade and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The plenary provides the opportunity for students to consider how far their opinions on inequalities in international trade have changed since the start of the lesson.
An extract from the PowerPoint presentation:
What is fair trade?
Fair trade is both a social movement and a label, ‘Fairtrade’. The goal of fair trade is to help producers in developing countries to achieve better trading conditions and to promote sustainability.
The movement focuses mainly on agricultural products such as tea, cocoa, coffee, fruit and sugar.
Supporters of fair trade argue that the people producing the commodities do not get an equitable deal from the organisations they usually supply their produce to.
Products with the ‘Fairtrade’ label have been purchased from the farmer for a fair price. However, there are other companies that offer alternatives to the ‘Fairtrade’ label and that also pay a fair price to farmers and producers.
