Fair Trade Consumerism

Synonyms

Equitable trade consumption; Fair trade consumption

Introduction

A growing number of consumers are concerned with how the goods they buy are produced and how that affects the people involved in the supply chain. Those who choose fair trade goods seek to support acceptable wages, working conditions, and living conditions for workers. Consumers of fair trade are concerned that marginalized producers in developing countries are not receiving adequate prices and trade terms for their goods and workers are being denied acceptable wages, working conditions, and living conditions. Fair trade offers an equitable pricing system that involves a price floor, a fair trade price premium for community and business development, price stability, cash in advance of delivery, and support in terms of production and business practices. Over 1.2 million farming families in 70 developing countries benefit from fair trade (“What is fair” n.d.) and more than 50,000 stores in the United States offer...