Ethical fair trading has become a key issue for UK consumers, and the nation's retailers have responded with range developments and campaigns.

Tesco and Sainsbury's currently hold the highest share of sales in the market, at 22.9% and 22.3% respectively, followed by the Co-op at 16.9%, Asda at 10.6% and Waitrose at 8.4%.

"Fair trade is high on retailers' agenda. For us, buyers' doors now open as soon as you mention fair trade. This wasn't the case a year ago," says a spokeswoman for fair trade pioneer Tropical Whole Foods.

"The commitment being shown to fair trade by supermarkets is encouraging," says Brad Hill, consumer policy manager for the Co-operative Group, which has been offering Fairtrade as the norm on its own-label coffee and chocolate for the past three years.

"While much of the activity has been in response to consumer demand, which of course means one eye on sales potential, the evidence is clear that long-term relationships are blossoming, which is what fair trade is all about," he adds.

In December, Sainsbury's made what the Fairtrade Foundation hailed as one of the biggest commitments to fair trade when it announced that all of its banana suppliers would be Fairtrade-certified.

"Fair trade is becoming part of the big supermarkets' new product armoury," says Mark Varney, business development manager of the Fairtrade Foundation. "There is now in-store point of sale and publicity including in-staff and customer magazines."

During Fairtrade Fortnight some of the supermarkets will be offering their staff the chance to claim special incentives for selling fair trade products, he says.

A few weeks ago Marks & Spencer announced it would switch key clothing ranges to Fairtrade within its new sustainability programme. The store has also pledged to sell Fairtrade jams, preserves, and bagged sugar this year. Tesco entered the fray when it announced it was to extend its Fairtrade nut offer with the launch of a Fairtrade pecan and raisin mix and natural cashews just before Christmas.

Meanwhile, earlier in 2006 Waitrose became the first supermarket to offer loose Fairtrade bananas. A spokeswoman says: "Fair trade will be high-profile in our shops, with fair trade tastings and events, posters, Bags for Life and recipe cards."

It's not just supermarkets that are getting involved. Soft discounters Aldi and Lidl have also started stocking small ranges in line with the growing demand.

In the past year wholesalers have also jumped on the fair trade bandwagon. Parfetts has rolled out a range of Fairtrade-branded products across its depots in the last few months.n

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