Ireland: Sales of Fairtrade Products Continue To Grow in 2016

Irish consumer spending on Fairtrade products has increased by 9% from €250 million to approximately €272 million.

The ongoing recovery in the Irish economy is having a positive impact on the number, range and sales levels for Fairtrade products here. 

Ireland’s largest coffee company, Bewley’s, is moving all of its own label coffee to Fairtrade by the end of 2017. And an increasing number of smaller coffee companies are getting involved as well – these include the Kinsale Coffee Company, the Café Lounge and a special coffee for Inishbofin Island which last year became a Fairtrade island. As well as this, retailers like Aldi have launched Fairtrade products like poinsettias and new bouquets of Fairtrade roses. 

Speaking about the Bewley’s conversion to 100% Fairtrade, Peter Gaynor, Executive Director with Fairtrade Ireland: "This sets the new benchmark for companies in Ireland, if the largest coffee company in Ireland can source all its Bewley’s branded coffee on Fairtrade terms - then obviously so can everybody else. For too long companies have outsourced their responsibilities to the end consumer asking them to ask for Fairtrade products – and yes of course we should do that as consumers – but companies have to take more responsibility themselves for what goes on in their value chain and make their own decisions."