Fair trade: a clear mandate to politics (41/41)

“There is a positive trend towards fair trade across Europe. Current study results show that companies and governments are increasingly demanding responsibility. 88 percent of the respondents ask companies to take care of the environment, 84 percent see companies as duty to combat global poverty. Political decision-makers are also called for more effort. 71 percent believe that these should play a greater role in promoting sustainable consumption, ”says Hartwig Kirner, head of Fairtrade Austria. The demand for Fairtrade products is also increasing. A total of 2018 tonnes of coffee were in demand in Austria in 4.147. That is an increase of eight percent. Fairtrade bananas grew by a further 2017 percent after the record year of 20 (to 27.857 tonnes). Cocoa has been a growth driver since 2014 - with an increase of 19,6 percent in 2018, the demand for Fairtrade cocoa rose to 3.217 tons. Fairtrade cane sugar was particularly successful thanks to new specialty varieties, with demand rising by 11,1 percent.