Fairtrade Fortnight - 23 February to 8 March

Meg is encouraging people in Hackney to buy fair trade products this Fairtrade Fortnight (23 February – 8 March).

Meg has welcomed the Government’s announcement of further support to the Fair Trade movement and urged Hackney to match this commitment and buy more Fair Trade products.

Meg said, “Fair Trade helps support 7.5 million people in the developing world. Our shopping habits can make a huge difference to the world’s poorest people.

“The UK’s demand for African fruit and vegetables benefits a million farmers and their families. When consumers and retailers act together to promote and buy goods from developing countries, we can make a real difference to the lives of some of the world’s poorest people.”

Free Fairtrade tea and coffee will be served at Hackney Central Library, between 12 noon and 2pm on Friday 27 February to mark Fairtrade Fortnight.

Hackney achieved the status of Fairtrade borough in May last year and London is now the biggest Fair Trade City in the world.

Fairtrade sales in the UK have been doubling every 2 years for the last 10 years. The total value of Fairtrade labelled products sold in the UK in 2007 was £493 million, up from £286 million in 2006.

The market for Fairtrade labelled products has been growing worldwide at 30-40 per cent a year. By the end of 2007 Fairtrade sales exceeded £1.6 billion – almost seventy times more than 10 years ago.