Rättvisemärkt / Fairtrade is an ethical and social labeling of products that can be found in a limited number of goods, mostly food. The label means that the production has met a number of criteria including that the producer is paid in advance and are guaranteed a minimum price that exceeds the production cost. In addition to a better payment, the producer gets a premium that can only be used either for investment in agriculture, to a new school, new housing or health care.
Fairtrade is using Fair Labelling Organization, FLO's criteria designed to ensure:
- Growers (Farmers) and employees shall have adequate wage for their work
- That democracy and freedom of association is promoted
- That child labor and discrimination is prevented
- That environmental and ecological production is promoted
- Help the local community to develop socially and economically
- Long-term trade relations and agreements
- There are also product-specific extension
Who does what?
Fairtrade have sister organizations in twenty countries in Europe, North America, Australia / New Zealand and Japan. Behind Fair Trade there is an international control organization, the Fairtrade Labelling Organization. It is the FLO that develops criteria for different product groups and perform other controls so that the criteria are met and they also provide development assistance to farmers and agricultural workers in developing countries.
The Association for Fair Trade (Föreningen för Rättvisemärkt) is the Swedish member of FLO, and is responsible for the licensing of importers who want their products Fairtrade-labelled. The association for Fari Trade in Sweden is a nonprofit organization that works to provide information on and raise public awareness about Fair Trade. Fairtrade in Sweden AB (Rättvisemärkt in Sweden AB) is a company which issues licenses to Swedish companies.
Fair Trade products
Fair trade-labeling, can among many others be found in foods like coffee, tea, cocoa, drinkable chocolate, chocolate bars, bananas, juice, rice, ice cream, sugar, cereals, snacks, candy, honey and wine. In addition, there are Fairtrade footballs and goods made from Fairtrade cotton.
Difference between Fair trade-label (Rättvisemärkt) and Fair Trade/Fair Business (Rättvis handel)
There is a difference between fair trade-labeled products and fair trade(business) products. These differ primarily in how to controls are conducted. Fair trade-labeled criteria are specific to each group of commodities while the Fair Trade/business-label products are based on the International Fair Trade Associaton's (IFAT) criteria. These are general and have no inspection without the one the importers do themselves to ensure that the chosen criteria are met. These products are usually products that have a more complex production chain, eg handicrafts and clothing. Examples of clothing companies that use Fair trade/business principles but who are not Fair trade-labeled is Dem Collective and People Tree.