Fair Trade Gets New Logo!
So, some fun and exciting news this morning!
Fair Trade USA has unveiled a new logo for fair trade certified products. The new logo, on the left there, is brighter and more modern looking than the old one.
However, it’s not just the logo that got an update. Fair Trade USA’s labeling policies also got revamped.
The reason (I think) why Fair Trade USA revamped their labeling policy is because they started a firestorm last year. How? By proposing that foods and body care products with up to 20% non-fair trade ingredients can be labeled as “fair trade”. This is even if fair trade alternatives are available. This, according to Food Navigator.
However, the new policy is more stringent. Only products with 100% fair trade ingredients will be labeled as fair trade, using the new logo on the left.
Products with mostly fair trade ingredients, but not 100%, will be labeled with the logo below, only it will say “Fair Trade Certified Ingredients” at the bottom. The product must contain at least 20% fair trade certified ingredients in order to carry the label.
Here’s what Paul Rice, president and CEO of Fair Trade USA has to say about it:
“The revised Ingredients Policy reflects our organization’s commitment to include more farmers and workers in the Fair Trade model, and our desire to raise the bar for certification transparency. It’s designed to offer more Fair Trade farmers the opportunity to sell their products into the global market, enable more companies to make a meaningful impact through responsible sourcing, and accurately communicate to shoppers the social and environmental benefits of purchasing Fair Trade Certified products.”
I applaud Fair Trade USA’s new policy. It’s going to be much more informative for shoppers, and reflects greater clarity, and fairness, in the labeling. It’s one more step forward for fair trade!
Filed under: Fair Trade News on January 19th, 2012
