Sales of Fairtrade products are predicted to defy the recession and grow by at least 10% this year.

UK Fairtrade sales rose 43% to £700m in 2008, according to Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO), while sales went up by an average of 25% in 15 countries surveyed.

Growth for 2009 is expected to continue at 10%-15% this year, according to FLO chief executive Rob Cameron, who cited new GlobeScan consumer research that indicates shoppers will not abandon their beliefs during the recession.

“It is very encouraging that consumer commitment to Fairtrade remains strong in these challenging times,” he said. “We are working with both the grassroots movement and companies to increase the market so that more producers will benefit from the better deal that Fairtrade offers.”

FLO’s study of 14,500 consumers revealed that ‘active ethical shoppers’ – who have higher expectations of companies’ social, economic and environmental responsibilities – represent 55% of the population in the countries surveyed.

In the UK, almost half of consumers claimed to be ethically active, and the country also has the highest level of awareness of the Fairtrade concept. Some 82% recognised the Fairtrade mark, and 94% of those said they trusted it.

Some 77% of UK respondents said Fairtrade had strict standards and the same number agreed that independent certification was the best way to verify a product’s ethical claims.

Cameron also pledged to speed up the certification process for Fairtrade producers – an area that has drawn criticism in the past. Certification body Flo-Cert increased capacity by 60% last year, he said, and would increase by a further 60% this year. That would allow it to clear the backlog in inspections, auditing and certifications.

He also said work was underway to add new products to the Fairtrade portfolio, including fish and gold.