uniting research, policy and practice in fair trade, cardiff (april 2009)
TRANSCRIPT
Uniting Research, Policy and Practice in Fair Trade BRASS, Cardiff (April 2009)
Matthew Andersonwww.researchfairtrade.com
From the Margins to the Mainstream: Plotting the Trajectory of Fair Trade in Britain
• Networking for Fair Trade • Methodology and Sources
• Chronology: Challenging the Established Historical Framework
• Limits of Consumer Choice?
• ‘Choice-editing’
- Council Procurement
- Major Switches to Fairtrade
Outline
‘Networks are based on cooperation rather than competition, and have the advantage that they allow for the independence of all the various units gathered together in the network. But they don’t happen spontaneously. There have to be networkers.’
Michael Barratt Brown, 'Who Cares About Fair Trade?', Report of Conference on Development, Trade and Cooperation, 4 September 1988, Conway Hall, London (Published by TWIN, December 1988), p.3.
Networking for Fair Trade
Methodology and Sources
Chronology: Challenging the Established Historical Framework
Charities, such as Oxfam, started
selling crafts made by refugees
ATOs , such as Traidcraft,
encourage direct trade with
producers avoiding middlemen
Naturally sympathetic
retailers, such as the Co-op,
promote FT to consumers
Solidifying growth in the mainstream
Market entry of more traditional
players
1st wave
1940s, 1950s
2nd wave
1970s, 1980s
3rd wave
1990s
4th wave
Late 1990s+
Limits of Consumer Choice?
‘Fair Trade is entirely a consumer choice model, it operates within the larger free trade model of unregulated international commerce.’ A. Nicholls & C. Opal, Fair Trade: Market Driven Ethical Consumption, (London: Sage Publications, 2004), p. 31.
‘Choice-editing’ - Council Procurement
Oliver Le Brun, Director of TWIN and Twin Trading, Bridges Not Fences: Report of the Third World Trade and Technology Conference, (London Feb 1985), p.7.
‘If we want to develop more direct and permanent trading links between the south and the north we have to open new opportunities for the distribution of Third World products. We have to explore the social market: the supply departments of local authorities, their purchasing associations and civic catering, universities, polytechnics, schools, social services, hospitals, trade unions, labour clubs etc.’
‘Choice-editing’ - Major Switches to Fairtrade
‘The public has taken Fairtrade to its heart, and so we’re delighted that they will soon be able to get 100% Fairtrade certified espresso drinks in Starbucks, from high streets to train stations and workplaces.’
Harriet Lamb, Executive Director, Fairtrade Foundation (26 November 2008)
‘The Fairtrade Foundation set out an ambitious strategy last year to double its positive impact for producers by 2012.. It is precisely this kind of big commitment by a major player such as Cadbury that could make it possible to achieve these goals.’
Harriet Lamb, Executive Director, Fairtrade Foundation (4 March 2009)