Fairtrade sales rose 14% in the UK during 2013 and consumer uptake continued to grow in the country, the UK’s Fairtrade Foundation said.

Announcing the increase at the beginning of Fairtrade Fortnight today (24 February), the Foundation said that the UK was a “world leader” for fairtrade. However, chief executive Michael Gidney emphasised that there is still a “long way to go” to secure the level of market access the industry body “would like to see”.

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Estimated retail sales of fairtrade reached GBP1.78bn (US$2.95bn), up from GBP1.53bn in 2012.

Fresh produce sales were up 316%, boosted by the conversion of supermarket product lines to fairtrade, the Foundation said. Sales of fairtrade chocolate and sugar were also among the biggest climbers, up 52% and 25% respectively. Cocoa and bananas grew by 5% and 4% in value terms. 

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