From Brent Fairtrade Network
Sainsbury's has announced plans for "Fairly Traded" tea to replace their Fairtrade Red Label, Gold Label and green brands of tea: see Sainsbury’s announcement. The new system will not be independently audited and will take away from producers their right to decide democratically how to spend the Fairtrade Premium. Tea is a pilot for this new approach which could then spread to coffee, bananas and many other products.
This plan is opposed by the Fairtrade Foundation and by Bananalink, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam GB, Traidcraft and the Women's Institute LINK
You can write to Sainsbury's Chief Executive Mr Mike Coupe at mike.coupe@sainsburys.co.uk or by letter to: Mr Mike Coupe, Chief Executive, J Sainsbury’s, Sainsbury’s Store Support Centre, 33 Holborn, London EC1N 2HT. In my letter I expressed three main concerns:
- This system will lack the independent auditing that is a key part of the Fairtrade system.
- This system will take away from producers their power to decide democratically how to invest their Fairtrade Premium.
- The new system will confuse consumers by adding yet another label. It would be much better to stick to the well-established, soundly based and widely recognised Fairtrade label.