Fairtrade fortnight kicks off next week to help bring more awareness to shoppers about where the produce they are buying comes from.

The nationwide initiative is led by the Fairtrade Foundation and will officially run from 26 February 26 to March 11.

But what is Fairtrade? Fairtrade simply means offering fair prices for farmers in the developing world. This enables them to get a sustainable price on the produce they grow and a premium incentive to invest in their own communities.

From swapping to Fairtrade bananas and tea in your weekly grocery shop, to hosting a Fairtrade breakfast or campaigning with your local school, doing your bit couldn't be easier. Still not convinced? Here are five great reasons why this is a cause you shouldn't ignore.

Singer Mica Paris with Fairtrade tea pickers

5 reasons why it is worth buying Fairtrade

  1. Fairtrade means fair prices for farmers in the developing world. When farmers sell on Fairtrade terms, they get a sustainable price and a premium to invest in their communities - a fair return for all their hard work.

  2. Farmers who get a fair price can invest in their communities and businesses and are empowered to build a better future. They get a better deal and you can reduce poverty through their everyday shopping.

  3. Millions of farmers and workers who produce our first meal of the day miss out on breakfast themselves . 80 per cent of the world’s coffee is produced by 25 million smallholders who live on less than $2 a day (£1.40). If farmers are guaranteed to receive at least the Fairtrade Minimum Price for their coffee, they have a safety net when times are tough.

  4. Buying Fairtrade doesn’t have to cost more – there’s such a wide range of Fairtrade products from gold to breakfast bananas that there's something for everyone. Most major retailers stock Fairtrade produce, for example the Co-op, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.

  5. You should look out for the Fairtrade logo. Products with a FAIRTRADE Mark have met internationally agreed Fairtrade Standards designed to address the imbalance of power of conventional trade.

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Do you buy more expensive Fairtrade products to help producers in poorer countries?

Where to shop Fairtrade

Fairtrade banana anyone? (
Image:
PA)

There are an abundance of everyday items that shoppers can swap for Fairtrade options that won't cost you a penny more.

Major supermarkets like Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury's all offer Fairtrade items, with the latter boasting over 385 Fairtrade products on sale in store and online, making it one of the largest retailers of Fairtrade items in the world.

Budget supermarkets Lidl and Aldi also offer selected Fairtrade lines too, with items ranging from wine to coffee.

But it's not just food that you can buy either - The Body Shop, Lush and Neal's Yard Remedies all offer Fairtrade beauty items too.