High interest for Fairtrade in Great Britain

A new survey by the market research group Mintel shows that the demand for food regarded as higher quality or healthier is increasing rapidly. Britain’s shoppers will spend more than £ 2 billion on Fairtrade, free range, local or organic produce this year, meaning an increase of 62 % compared with 2002.

Three quarters of British people believe they have a duty to recycle, only 65 % were seeing a need to do so in 2002. 34 % of the respondents state they buy Fairtrade products when available - this number is up from 25 % in 2002. Forty percent of shoppers say that they buy free-range products (up from 33 % in 2002).

According to Mintel, rising disposable incomes and a more affluent society are allowing people to live up to their ethics. Retailers see various reasons for that – celebrity chefs, the fear about obesity, salt or fat levels or concerns of the environment are a few important examples.

Sainsbury’s has achieved better than expected sales and Tesco states that the demand for organic food is up 30 %. Asda promised 1,000 organic products and Morrison also pledged to increase the organic range. Marks & Spencer switched their entire tea and coffee range of 38 lines to Fairtrade and states that coffee sales in its food halls have increased by 27 %. M&S launched Fairtrade jeans after the success of selling Fairtrade cotton T shirts. Also, a new range of men’s business shirts has gone on sale.

Fairtrade products are growing fast – a £ 230 million market is expected by this year, representing a growth of 265 % on 2002. 

The Guardian