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John Redwood Backs Campaign
Volunteers from the Wokingham Fair Trade Campaign have been busy highlighting all the fair trade products on offer in supermarkets across Wokingham borough during Fair Trade Fortnight - and received backing from local MP John Redwood.
Mr Redwood, Wokingham MP, called into Sainsbury’s supermarket in Winnersh on Saturday, March 1 to give his support to the campaign, which aims to raise awareness of fair trade among residents, increase the availability of fair trade products in Wokingham borough and promote the use of fair trade products by local businesses, restaurants, cafes and community groups.
During Fair Trade Fortnight, which runs until March 9, volunteers from the campaign will be in supermarkets across the borough showing shoppers what fair trade products each shops offers and explaining to any interested shoppers the advantages of fair trade products.
By buying products that carry the FAIRTRADE Mark, consumers know that developing-world producers receive a fair and stable price for their produce, which covers their production costs and includes a premium to be reinvested either in the business or in social and environmental schemes among the community.
As well as Sainsbury’s, this year’s Fair Trade Fortnight events are being supported in the Wokingham borough by ASDA, Tesco, Waitrose and Tesco and volunteers will be in supermarkets this week and at the weekend to further promote products with the FAIRTRADE mark.
Chairman of the Wokingham Fair Trade Campaign, Colin Weedon, said: “It was great for the Campaign that John Redwood joined us to underline his belief in Fair Trade – he has backed us since the very beginning, and high-profile supporters like him, who are prepared to give their time are always a source of encouragement.
“So far we have been delighted with the level of interest from shoppers during Fair Trade Fortnight and also in the level of support from local supermarkets. I think they have realised that fair trade is now big business and is getting bigger all the time - estimated retail sales of FAIRTRADE reached half a billion pounds for 2007 and the market share for fair trade bananas, tea and coffee is now very substantial. The recent announcement by Tate and Lyle that all their retail sugar will be Fairtrade by the end of 2009, adds even more impetus to this rapidly expanding marketplace”
The WTFC aims to help raise local awareness of fair trade and to encourage shops to stock more fair trade products. To obtain a copy of the latest directory of fair trade stockists in Wokingham borough, or to find out more about the campaign, call (0118) 979 1156.
Notes:
More from WFTC chairman Colin Weedon on (0118) 979 1156.
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