ethical trading

Focus On: Ethical Trading by Ash O’Mahony

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Publishing: 2 February

Advertising deadline: 15 January

Submissions deadline: 14 January

The Story

Are too many cooks spoiling the Fairtrade broth? That was the criticism from Co-op retail chief commercial officer Michael Fletcher in October, who warned the increasing number of ethical schemes was muddying shopper decision making. There are indeed a growing number of alternatives to Fairtrade so do consumers understand what these offer? What is the impact on Fairtrade, and perceptions of ethical trading as a whole?

Key themes:

Fairtrade: How have Fairtrade sales been impacted by the rise of rival schemes? Which areas have been particularly affected e.g. bananas, chocolate?

Supplier/retailer schemes: How are these perceived by consumers? Are they as trusted as Fairtrade? And do they perceive any difference in their offering? How are the schemes progressing?

Consumer confusion: With so many schemes out there, is there a danger of the ethical trading proposition being watered down? To what extent are shoppers confused? Does ethical trading need, as Michael Fletcher suggested, as ‘Attenborough moment?

The different Fairtrade schemes: A quick summary of what each of the five schemes offers and which products they apply to.

Harris Interactive data: Using the main findings from the Harris Interactive consumer research, we analysis how shoppers view ethical schemes.

Online Listicle to go live on 15 February: What are the main innovations & how are they shaping the market

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