Due to the number of seals circulating on the market, it is almost impossible for consumers to keep track of the significance and strictness of the various seals. In this BLOG series, we would therefore like to introduce you to various seals and give you an understanding of their claims and the criteria they test for.
This article deals with the:
FAIRTRADE- Label
The FAIRTRADE seal is a social label that identifies products that meet certain social, ecological and economic standards. It was developed to promote fair trade practices and provide fairer conditions for producers in developing countries. Here are some of the main aspects that the FAIRTRADE label stands for:
- Fair price: FAIRTRADE products guarantee producers a minimum price for their goods, which is usually higher than the world market price. This is intended to provide producers with a stable source of income and protect them from the fluctuations of the global market.
- Social standards: FAIRTRADE promotes humane working conditions and prohibits child labor and discrimination, for example. Producer organizations must meet certain social criteria in order to receive the seal.
- Environmental standards: FAIRTRADE products must comply with certain environmental standards, such as the responsible use of resources, the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable farming methods.
- Development support: Through FAIRTRADE, producer communities also receive financial premiums that can be invested in social projects such as education, health care or infrastructure. This is intended to contribute to the sustainable development of communities.
If a product bears the Fairtrade seal, this means that it has been checked by the independent certification organization FLOCERT and meets the defined FAIRTRADE standards. Consumers can therefore be confident that by purchasing such products, they are helping to support fair trade practices and improve the living conditions of producers in developing countries.
Variations of the FAIRTRADE- Label
There are corresponding FAIRTRADE seals for different product groups. The FAIRTRADE product seal identifies so-called mono-products (such as bananas, coffee), which consist of only one raw material and are therefore easily traceable. Mixed products (such as cookies, chocolate), which are made from several FAIRTRADE- certified ingredients, are marked with a black arrow next to the FAIRTRADE seal, which refers to further information on the back of the product.
The black arrow is also used to mark products that have been produced with “quantity compensation”. For these products, FAIRTRADE raw materials are mixed with non- FAIRTRADE raw materials. This applies in particular to product groups such as cocoa, sugar, fruit juice and tea, as physical traceability is not possible everywhere, mainly for logistical reasons, as fairly produced and conventional raw materials can be mixed during processing. The independent certification organization Flocert carries out strict document checks throughout the entire supply chain to ensure the traceability of raw materials.
Quantity compensation is accepted so that the producer organizations can still participate in the FAIRTRADE system and is regarded by the FAIRTRADE organization as an important development policy necessity.
In addition to the FAIRTRADE product seals, there are also FAIRTRADE raw material seals for almost every ingredient in a mixed product. In this case, the labeling looks like this: In addition to the FAIRTRADE seal, the certified raw material is listed by name, for example Cocoa. If a blended product is only labeled with one raw material seal, this means that only this specified ingredient in this mixed product is a Fairtrade certified raw material.
In the Greenpeace Check, which tested the trustworthiness of quality seals, the FAIRTRADE seal was classified as trustworthy.
Click HERE for the Greenpeace seal- check, to get more detailed information about the reasons for the classification of FAIRTRADE and other quality seals.
Sources: Fairtrade