Chesham - a Fairtrade Town
What is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.
Chesham celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight 2008 by holding the first ever Chiltern Fairtrade Film Festival at the Elgiva Theatre, Chesham.
See Events for a list of activities during Fairtrade Fortnight.
Click on links below to browse Fairtrade products
Flowers
Roses, carnations, sunflowers...
Cotton
Clothes, homeware and health & beauty items made with Fairtrade certified cotton...
Fresh fruits
Bananas, pineapples, mangoes, lemons, limes, oranges, coconuts, grapefruits...
Estimated UK Fairtrade retail sales by value 1998-2007 (£ million)
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| Coffee: | 13.7 | 15.0 | 15.5 | 18.6 | 23.1 | 34.3 | 49.3 | 65.8 | 93.0 | 117.0 |
| Tea: | 2.0 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 7.2 | 9.5 | 12.9 | 16.6 | 25.1 | 30.0 |
| Chocolate/cocoa: | 1.0 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 10.9 | 16.5 | 21.9 | 29.7 | 34.0 |
| Honey products: | n/a | n/a | 0.9 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 5.0 |
| Bananas: | n/a | n/a | 7.8 | 14.6 | 17.3 | 24.3 | 30.6 | 47.7 | 65.6 | 150.0 |
| Flowers: | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 4.3 | 5.7 | 14.0 | 24.0 |
| Wine: | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.5 | 3.3 | 5.3 | 8.2 |
| Cotton: | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0.2 | 4.5 | 34.8 |
| Other: | n/a | n/a | n/a | 2.2 | 3.5 | 7.2 | 22.3 | 30.3 | 45.7 | 90.0 |
| TOTAL | 16.7 | 21.8 | 32.9 | 50.5 | 63.0 | 92.3 | 140.8 | 195.0 | 286.3 | 493.0 |
Estimated percentage increases from 2006-2007
- Total sales: 127% increase by volume and 72% by estimated retail value
- Total coffee: 33% increase by volume and 24% by estimated retail value
- Total tea: 21% increase by volume and 24% by estimated retail value
- Wine: 47% increase by volume and 51% by estimated retail value
- Flowers: 71% increase by volume and 72% by estimated retail value
- Cotton: 1,655% increase by volume and 658% by estimated retail value
Source: Fairtrade Foundation