Fair-trade food turnover shoots up

Austrians are spending more on fair-trade products as the number of supermarkets and cafés offering such items is on the rise.

Fairtrade Austria said today (Mon) businesses in the country achieved an estimated turnover of 46 million Euros by selling fair-trade products between January and June 2011. The association explained this was 13 per cent more than in the first half of last year.

Especially bananas and coffee sold under the Fair Trade seal of approval were in high demand, it was announced. Flowers and fruit juices are popular with Austrian customers as well, according to Fairtrade Austria.

Austrian businesses’ turnover from selling fair-trade range products in 2010 was estimated at 87 million earlier this year. This would be an improvement of 21 per cent compared to 2009.

More than 600 Fairtrade Austria products – including clothes and various toys such as footballs – are on offer at 5,000 shops across the country. The production and shipping of all items occurred considering stringent requirements considering workers’ conditions and environmental aspects.