Chris Pollard Barlby Village Stores Yorkshire





?I think customers probably don't understand what fair trade is or the different marks that are around today, and I'm not sure they are that interested. We have been in this shop since 1999 and fair trade has never been mentioned by a customer in all that time. I know it is right to try to support the fair trade movement but if customers don't ask for products, I think I'd be flogging a dead horse if I stocked them. I don't think banners or PoS during Fairtrade Fortnight would enable me to sell any more products, either. Customers come in to my shop and are so quick in their purchases they often don't even look at the price, so they are not going to look at every label to see where the ingredients come from.





Target wholesalers? Dean Holburn Holburns Redhill and South Nutfield Surrey



?People do understand fair trade to a degree but it's like everything: some people are completely oblivious to it and others actively look for it. I suspect the majority of people are oblivious and do not understand fair trade products or the different marks. I imagine there is a market for fair trade but demand for it is not huge in my area. If you compare it to the growth in organic foods over the past five years, fair trade has been more gradual. But it may be the next big thing. Fairtrade Fortnight passed me by, I was not contacted by anyone and didn't notice any promotions at my wholesaler. I know the independent trade is fragmented, but maybe the organisation should target wholesalers more.





TV campaign needed Shamus Lehal Londis Wootton





?People are more likely to know about the latest celebrity on Big Brother or what's happening in Coronation Street than about fair trade. I believe only 10% of the population is fully aware of fair trade. It is not an issue for the majority. I stock about six or seven fair trade products, including a couple of wines, coffee, tea bags and some chocolate, but I don't think it is making much difference to people in developing countries. Fair trade appeals to the middle classes' sense of fair play and they buy it to ease their consciences. There are so many celebrations or special weeks and I think Fairtrade Fortnight is lost among them. It needs to have a hard hitting campaign on TV if it is to have more impact.



Fair trade products and Fairtrade Fortnight do not register with the vast majority of independent retailers quizzed by The Grocer, either because they feel their customers don't understand them or because they believe they are just not interested.

A whopping 96% of independents asked in our latest survey believed there was no demand for fair trade products in their shops and not one of them felt demand for them was increasing.

"My customers want cheap products, and that's all," says one retailer, while another says his customers are just not bothered about fair trade. "Most people choose products based on taste. If fair trade products are more expensive than a customer's regular brand, then I can't see them swapping," says another.

Many independent retailers add that they have never been asked for fair trade products and claim that they have never seen them at their cash and carry or wholesaler.

A lack of consumer understanding of fair trade products was also cited as a reason for many retailers not stocking lines. According to our survey, only 28% of retailers believe that consumers understand what a fair trade product means.

"Although I think people are genuinely concerned about developing countries, I don't think they understand what fair trade is all about," says one retailer, adding: "The movement should get more publicity if companies want fair trade products to take off."

Others also felt better publicity was key to fairly traded products, and in particular products that come under the Fairtrade banner.

They say the growing number of fair trade marks has not helped the issue. "Organic has a much higher profile and is much better understood," says one retailer.

Fairtrade Fortnight took place from 26 February to 11 March in an annual attempt to raise the profile of fair trade products but it had little impact on many independent retailers.

Only 8% of retailers we asked celebrated it and those who did used small point-of-sale materials on wine, but little else. Many independents knew nothing about the event and had not seen anything at their suppliers about it. Of those that did do something, none felt it had increased their sales of Fairtrade products.