Images: Fair Trade Campaigners Protest Starbucks

Fair Trade Campaigners Protest Outside Starbucks

Today in Christchurch the young and the old joined the Global Day of Action Against Starbucks. The Fair Trade campaigners from Trade Aid, the Green Party and Business for Social Responsibility protested against what has been labelled sweatshop coffee, for the working conditions and allegations of child labour under which much of the world's coffee is produced. Starbucks and other coffee corporates in NZ refuse to purchase certified fair trade coffee, which guarantees coffee farmers a living wage of $1.26 per pound.

Fair Trade advocate, Simon Gerathy, said that consumers responded warmly to Trade Aid's certified fair trade and organic coffee which was brewed outside the multinational's outlet. Fair trade is safe, ethical and sustainable - a real alternative to the free trade fiasco which is forcing farmers off their land.

He said Jim Collier, the CEO of Restaurant Brands (who own Starbucks), continues to offer empathy while ignoring the real issues, and chalking up fat profits to send back to the U.S. Mr Gerathy promised further action until Starbucks takes action, and also put other coffee corporates such as Nestle, Cerebos Greggs and Sara Lee on notice.

ENDS

Simon Gerathy Advocate for Fair Trade phone 64 3 385 3535 mobile 025 937 875