Add some 'Fair Trade' to your shopping list

Aid Minister Marian Hobbs has challenged all New Zealanders to support developing countries by purchasing a Fair Trade product during Fair Trade Fortnight, which runs till May 21. "It's as easy as going to a café that uses Fair Trade products for your morning coffee, or stopping in at a Trade Aid shop," Marian Hobbs said. "They have great organic ground coffees, tasty chocolate, and fragrant tea.

"Fair trade is all about giving poor people around the world a hand-up rather than a hand-out.

"NZAID, our international aid and development agency, is working to foster fair trade and is right behind Fair Trade Fortnight.

"Last year we had a Fair Trade Week. This year we have two weeks of great events around the country organised by Oxfam, Trade Aid and the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand.

"We want to raise consumer awareness about Fair Trade in a fun and accessible way. There will be Fair Trade Fiestas, a speaking tour and New Zealand's Biggest Morning Tea at Trade Aid shops and several other locations."

A Fairtrade logo has been introduced to increase the visibility of Fair Trade products.

"The logo is proof that the producers of that product - be it tea, coffee, chocolate, bananas, and many others - have been paid a fair price and are working in acceptable conditions," Marian Hobbs said.

"NZAID's partners will also be working with supermarkets, importers and distributors to ensure that Fair Trade products are available in a variety of shops so that people can buy these products as part of their normal weekly shop."

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