Fair trade has developed really fastly in the last ten years. Farmers which have received fair trade certifications are said to produce better quality products and to be treated more even. They usually are small farmers from Latin America or African countries, who then earn more money than the other farmers, and are able to improve their standard of living.

As my classmate Rachel Servoz explained in her blog post “Is “Fair” Trade compatible with Globalization?”, Fair Trade doesn’t necessarily bring significant positive changes in farmers’ lives. What’s more, it excludes all the farmers who don’t have the certifications but who need it as much. Like charity, it doesn’t allow the empowerment of producers but keeps them in a relation of dependence with the “Western” big retailers. As Rachel says, the Arc initiative seems to be more helpful on the long-run since it teaches people how to run a profitable and fair business on their own.

As socially aware and environmental-friendly operations and products multiply in retail stores and other markets, it becomes increasingly hard to draw the line between what is really helpful and what is just a way to take more money from customers who want a clear conscience.

Sources: Rachel’s blogpost & this article