This week, the Fairtrade Foundation are urging us all to Go Bananas for Fairtrade, as part of Fairtrade Fortnight which runs from 23rd Feb to 8th March. Check out the video – and Go Bananas for Fairtrade!
The video, Rap Bananas, was created by ethical marketing agency, Feel, and features Matt Helders’ remix of the Roots Manuva classic Again and Again which has been donated by the artists who are known for their support for trade justice.
Go bananas and help set a world record!
Go Bananas for Fairtrade involves people pledging to eat a Fairtrade banana between noon on Friday 6th and noon on Saturday 7th March to set a world record. Over a quarter of a million people have already signed up and thousands of events are expected to take place across the UK.
“Go Bananas for Fairtrade, aims to highlight the straightforward support people can give to farmers and workers by choosing Fairtrade bananas. It’s the perfect fit for the finale of our Fairtrade Fortnight campaign when we hope to drive sales and encourage people to find out more about Fairtrade.” Giles Robertson, Fairtrade Foundation
Bananas are the most popular fruit in the world, with people spending over £10 billion a year on the fruit globally, yet the majority of banana plantation workers don’t earn enough to live and support their families – some earn less than £1 per day.
Fairtrade means a fair price
And, while banana sales and demand soar, prices have plummeted, having a devastating effect on banana producers. In November 1997 bananas cost an average of £1.08 per kg in UK supermarkets. In June 2008 that price was as low as 50p per kg.
Fairtrade is a tool for development that ensures disadvantaged farmers and workers in developing countries get a better deal through the use of the international FAIRTRADE Mark. Fairtrade bananas were launched in 1994, and now one in four bananas sold in the UK is Fairtrade.
More information
Take part in Go Bananas for Fairtrade by pledging to eat a Fairtrade banana – between noon on Friday 6th and noon on Saturday 7th March – on the Go Bananas minisite. And find out more about Fairtrade in last week’s article, Support Fairtrade for a fairer world, and on the Fairtrade Foundation website.
We’ve got our Fairtrade bananas at the ready – we hope you have too!
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4 comments… read them below or add yours now
Ohman…I love bananas, too! I wonder where we can find fair trade ones around here! Maybe Whole Foods? Where did you get yours?
Twitter: @GlobalPatriot
I didn’t realize this was such an important issue. There needs to be more publicity with regards to Fair Trade practices in the Banana industry. The coffee industry has done a great job of promoting the idea, it’s great to see other products follow suit and get the word out – thanks for this post!
@Becky: Welcome to Green Pepper! Many supermarkets and grocers here in the UK sell Fairtrade products, including bananas. I hope you managed to find some where you are ;-)
@Global Patriot: The Fairtrade Foundation has been developing the practice of fair trade for many years and includes a huge range of products (including coffee and bananas). There’s a World Fair Trade Day on 9th May this year, which you might be interested in. Find out more at http://www.worldfairtradeday09.org
@Paul – Thanks for the welcome! You guys are lucky to have so many fair trade options. I’ve seen organic bananas but never ones marked fair trade…I wonder if the organic ones are also fair trade?