Fairtrade Coffee bargain at Dunnes

Price is one of the 2 main reasons why people don't buy more (or any) Fairtrade products. So its interesting to see Dunnes Stores, whose adverts claim 'the difference is we're irish' bringing in a new UK Fairtrade coffee from Union Coffee Roasters. And its just €3.29 per 227g bag.

Compare that with Bewleys admittedly organic Fairtrade at €4.89 in Superquinn, or Cafedirect €4.68 and their Machu Pichu at €5.65 !

Certainly price of Fairtrade is coming down.

Fairtrade - who owns it ?

As Fairtrade Fortnight ends with thousands enjoying Fairtrade bananas, there is a debate worth paying attention to at www.tradingvisions.org/content/who-owns-fairtrade . Trading Visions is a charity set up to encouarge young people to get involved in the whole idea of Fairtrade and where it needs to go.

There are several on-line videos of the debate which took place in London School of Economics last month, all of which are worth watching. It made me think about just how much further there is to go, to make the trading world we live in anything like trully fair.

How fair is it when Cadburys say in 2008 that they will NOT be going Fairtrade, and then in 2009 change their minds without explanation ? Fairtrade is about a susatainable future for all, not a knee jerk reaction by a few greedy shareholders eyeing a profitable opportunity.

Well Done Dunnes

Well done to Dunnes Stores, who have re-introduced Fairtrade bananas to all their irish stores TODAY ! That also means extra business for Fyffes who supply them. So here's a bunch of their own Fairtrade flowers to celebrate !!

Dublin Fairtrade landmark

For Fairtrade Fortnight, the Bewleys coffee shop in Dublin's Grafton Street was suitably dressed for the occasion. Thousands joined in the banana eating record attempt, and it has now been confirmed that Cadbury's Dairy Milk will go Fairtrade this summer. So, as usual, where pioneers like http://www.divinechocolate.com/ have been boldly going for 10 years, those who should be leading the way end up following like sheep. Happily our god is well known for celebrating the return of one lost sheep out of a hundred to his fold. So we do !

Last chance banana

As Fairtrade Fortnight reaches its climax, a record breaking attempt takes place across europe tomorrow to see if we can eat more Fairtrade bananas than ever before in 24 hours starting at 12 noon. You can sign up at www.fairtrade.ie/gobananas whether its your school, company, family, rugby team etc. Take a photo and upload for the final count !! Definitely worth doing