The Challenges of Marketing Fair Trade - Wynne, Sandy

does that mean all the other products are doing the opposite? For Fair Trade activists,
that is the question every consumer should be asking.
Some company brands are found in more than one place such as GMCR coffee.
The Hannaford supermarkets in the Chittenden County (VT) area locate Green Mountain
non certified coffee in the conventional coffee section but display the Green Mountain
Fair Trade Certified coffee in the natural foods section. The trick for the consumer is to
remember the location of these products in each retail store. This is a barrier when
making purchasing decisions, especially if time is limited when shopping.
C) Identifying Controversies
1) Mainstreaming
Initially Fair Trade products were sold in a niche market of stores fully committed
to Fair Trade. Many of these retail outlets were developed by ATOs and NGOs in the
Fair Trade movement. This niche market was and is a core component of the Fair Trade
movement, involving thousands of volunteers, dedicated supporters and millions of
dollars invested in education and awareness campaigns. In the UK alone, ATOs annually
spend over $22 million on Fair Trade public relations and awareness raising (Raynolds et
al. 2007, p.59).
As Fair Trade Certified products move into larger retail operations, concerns
are being raised about the consequences of mainstreaming Fair Trade. For some,
mainstream retailers like Starbucks and Nestlés are taking advantage of the many years of
arduous work and financial investments by ATOs, 100% Fair Trade committed
companies and NGOs in developing the “social capital of Fair Trade” (Raynolds et al.,
2007, p.59). Although MNCs did not support or share in these investments in Fair Trade,
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