London, UK, 22 May 2019: A multi-country survey released today shows that a majority of shoppers are familiar with the FAIRTRADE Mark and believe it reflects their personal values. Consumers have trust in the Fairtrade Mark and closely associate it with providing fair prices, a living income and helping farmers to escape from poverty – attributes which are all crucial to building trust.
Coffee is the most visible Fairtrade product across the eight countries surveyed, followed by bananas, chocolate and cocoa. A large majority of consumers who have seen the Mark agree that the FAIRTRADE Mark has a positive impact on brand perceptions.
Julia Nicoara, Interim Director of Public Engagement at the Fairtrade Foundation in the UK said: “The data sends a very strong message to companies that there is a strong body of shoppers who identify with the values of Fairtrade and want business to play fair. People now expect businesses to take their social and environmental responsibilities seriously. More than that, it’s clear that a significant segment of the public back Fairtrade’s principles of equity and justice in trade.”
The comprehensive cross-continental study of 9,200 consumers was carried out for National Fairtrade Organizations across eight countries by international research and advisory consultancy GlobeScan.
Overall, across the eight markets studied, Fairtrade is the most recognized certification label, with highest levels of recognition in the Switzerland and the UK, where 91% of British citizens know the Mark.
Trust in the FAIRTRADE Mark remains consistently strong at 69%, with three quarters of respondents associating the Mark with helping farmers escape poverty.
In Canada, Germany, India and New Zealand, Fairtrade’s help for farmers to mitigate against climate change is an important driver of consumer trust in the Mark. In these countries, the results suggest that people want to be able to make the simple direct link between buying Fairtrade products and helping farmers deal with climate disaster.
“Consumers associate Fairtrade with fair prices living income, good conditions, and support for farmers in developing countries. Where they can, shoppers will reward companies that do the right thing”, Julia Nicoara, Interim Director of Public Engagement at the Fairtrade Foundation in the UK concluded.
GlobeScan conducted the Fairtrade Consumer Perceptions survey between January and March 2019 in eight markets: Australia, Canada, Germany, India, New Zealand, Switzerland, UK and USA.
For more information, interviews or footage, contact:
- Stacy Rowland at GlobeScan stacy.rowland@globescan.com Tel: +1 416 969 3082 or Mobile: +1 416 992 2705
- Martine Parry at the Fairtrade Foundation martine.parry@fairtrade.org.uk Tel: 07886 301486
