> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://cocoaradar.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Over 40 UK Brands and Retailers Unite to Strengthen Fairtrade Sourcing and Support Cocoa Farmers - URL: https://cocoaradar.com/over-40-uk-brands-and-retailers-unite-to-strengthen-fairtrade-sourcing-and-support-cocoa-farmers/ - Published: 2025-09-24T15:00:44.000Z - Updated: 2025-09-24T15:00:45.000Z - Description: A powerful coalition of more than 40 UK brands and retailers - including Ben & Jerry’s, M&S, Sainsbury’s, and Tate & Lyle Sugars - is stepping up to champion Fairtrade sourcing, with a focus on everyday essentials such as cocoa, coffee, tea, and bananas - Author: Anthony Myers - Tags: Fairtrade Foundation Their goal: to create a level playing field for farming communities facing the twin pressures of climate change and volatile global markets. The message is clear: ethical and sustainable sourcing is no longer optional, it’s expected. According tonew data from Kantar, 55% of UK consumers believe companies must ensure fair practices, while 81% say businesses need to step up. Meanwhile, 59% back mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD). ## Sign up for From The Desk of CocoaRadar 'From our desk to yours'. Join 11,000 + subscribers and receive our daily newsletter on what matters in cocoa. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 'Do It Fair' Campaign The push coincides with Fairtrade Fortnight 2025, which commenced on Monday and runs until 5 October, and the launch of the “Do It Fair” campaign that urges businesses, policymakers, and consumers to back producers through Fairtrade’s minimum price guarantee, premium payments, and rigorous sustainability standards. [Fairtrade’s New Era: Going Beyond Certification to Build a Resilient Future for Cocoa ProducersEleanor Harrison OBE, the new CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, has wasted no time setting out her vision for the future of ethical trade. In her first in-depth interview with a major industry outlet, Harrison spoke with CocoaRadar about her priorities for Fairtrade’s next chapter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/42/e5/42e56cb4-2135-4886-b7a8-860153b64965/content/images/icon/sophie-LOGO-FINAL_WEB-199.png)From The Desk of CocoaRadarAnthony Myers![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/42/e5/42e56cb4-2135-4886-b7a8-860153b64965/content/images/thumbnail/Fairtrade-Leap.jpg)](https://cocoaradar.com/fairtrades-new-era-going-beyond-certification-to-build-a-resilient-future-for-cocoa-producers/) In an exclusive interview with cocoaradar.com earlier this year, Eleanor Harrison, the new CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, described the Fortnight as a “key marketing peak” and a vital moment to remind the public that ethical sourcing is an actionable choice. With 84% of UK consumers recognising and trusting the Fairtrade mark, Harrison sees this as both an opportunity and a responsibility. "Consumers want to do the right thing. Our job is to make it easy and impactful for them,” she said. ### Cocoa at the Core For cocoa in particular, the stakes are high. Climate change, declining yields, and quality challenges are squeezing farmers in West Africa and beyond. The coalition’s call to increase Fairtrade cocoa sales highlights the sector’s vulnerability and the urgent need for shared responsibility across the supply chain. **Bryan Martins, CEO, Ecotone UK (Clipper)**, warned of persistent poverty among producers: > “Only one in five Kenyan tea workers report earning enough to support their families. Clipper alone cannot solve this issue—there needs to be an industry-wide effort to deliver transformative change.” **Ruth Cranston, Director of Sustainability, Sainsbury’s**, underlined the importance of long-term sourcing commitments: > “Earlier this year, we converted all of our ‘by Sainsbury’s’ classic tea to Fairtrade, ensuring an additional £1 million annually in Fairtrade premium for producers.” **Shirine Khoury-Haq, CEO, Co-op Group**, stressed that cocoa farmers face the direct consequences of climate change: > “Our collective commitment to Fairtrade is essential to ensure the future of food and drink is secure for generations to come—and most importantly, that producers are treated with the respect they deserve and paid fairly.” ### The Numbers Behind Fairtrade The Fairtrade Foundation’s 2024 Annual Report shows steady UK retail sales and a total of £28 million generated in Fairtrade Premiums - funding schools, healthcare, and climate initiatives in farming communities worldwide. Commodity highlights include: - Coffee sales up **5%** (driven by supermarkets) - Tea sales up **2%** - Banana sales up **1%** - Juice, sugar, and wine up **8%**, **3%**, and **4%** respectively These increases signal growing consumer demand for ethically sourced products, which Fairtrade and its partners aim to amplify through coordinated business and consumer action. ### **Why This Matters for CocoaRadar Readers** For the cocoa sector, this united call from UK retailers and brands underscores a market reality: sustainability, traceability, and fairness are now competitive imperatives, not differentiators. As the EU’s deforestation regulation (EUDR) approaches its December 2025 implementation, alignment with credible certification schemes like Fairtrade may prove a vital strategy for companies balancing compliance, consumer trust, and long-term supply resilience.