The Challenges of Marketing Fair Trade - Wynne, Sandy

anding must be universal, yet there is no central Fair Trade marketing department or
marketing budget. The Fair Trade logo is a visual symbol of the branding and gives the
consumers the confidence to trust that the Fair Trade principles have been respected.
Awareness levels increase as a result of education and exposure to Fair Trade.
Availability of Fair Trade products depends on the efficiency and speed of the
certification process, and on new product development. Each product category must have
rigorous standards established, audit trails developed, and importers and traders licensed
to purchase the products. Accessibility depends on the visibility of Fair Trade products
for purchase. If consumers cannot easily find the products, they are less likely to purchase
Fair Trade products.
Controversies include mainstreaming, selling out, anti-free trade, the halo effect,
domestic fair trade and the fairness question. Mainstreaming Fair Trade products has
dramatically increased sales but also raises concerns of TransFair USA’s strategies and
questions of motivation of the multinational corporations selling Fair Trade products.
Selling out is a criticism of TFUSA for its preferential treatment of large corporations
over smaller more fully committed Fair Trade companies. Accusations of the Fair Trade
movement being anti-free trade fail to recognize that Fair Trade functions within the free
trade system and works to make the free trade system more fair and just for all
stakeholders. Large companies that carry only a small number of Fair Trade products
often use those products to look good, referred to as the halo effect. Local farmers want
trade to be fair for them and have started a campaign for domestic fair trade, which the
Fair Trade movement generally supports but worries that the terminology may confuse
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