With sales of ethically-sourced goods doubling in the last year, the Co-op has been doing their bit by switching to Fairtrade tea for its own-brand range.
Sales in Britain have reached £500 million for Fairtrade products this year with tea accounting for £30 million of the total. Bananas, coffee and cotton are the other most popular products.
Lochgilphead Co-op celebrated the changeover by holding a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, with staff dressing up in costumes, free tea samples for customers and a 20 per cent discount on all Fairtrade products until March 9.
Store manager Derek Guy said: ‘We don’t mind going a little mad if it helps to promote this tea-riffic initiative and encourage many more shoppers to support Fairtrade.’
Hot chocolate will also change to Fairtrade as the supermarket becomes the first UK retailer to convert its entire hot beverage range to the scheme. It is already the only retailer to have switched all its own-brand coffee to Fairtrade and intends to move all its own-brand sugar to the scheme by May.
Fairtrade growers receive a guaranteed price for their crop as well as a premium to invest in projects such as water supplies, educational equipment and medical facilities.
