Fairly Traded Goods

Today when I went to buy some groceries for school lunches I decided to visit the local supermarket with the best reputation of supplying Fair Trade goods. I purposely chose the largest of their stores in the area, expecting them to have the greatest selection of products.

I expected to come home with bags laden with pineapple, grapes, mangoes, bananas, oranges, a variety of chocolate, tinned fruit, jams, fruit juices, biscuits, cereal bars, dried fruit and of course, sugar, tea and coffee. Maybe even some wine!

Imagine, then, my disappointment when, having scoured the shelves in the shop for over half and hour for the famous blue and green symbol, all I managed to buy that had been fairly traded was a packet of (Scottish) choc chip shortbread using fair trade choc chips from West Africa, a chocolate cake made with sugar from Paraguay and, by far the best product available, Fair Trade Muesli containing South African sultanas and raisins, Ugandan bananas and pineapple and Pakistani apricots.

Disappointed as I was with my (lack of) purchases, I've got to admit it's a start, but obviously there's a long, long way to go before British and Irish consumers can become genuine Fair Traders.

And now, as it's tea-time, what better opportunity to try a bowl of that muesli ;-)