At Sobeys, we’re doing OurPart™ to support and empower farmers and workers by offering products which are certified as Fairtrade. The Fairtrade certification helps ensure businesses are committed to better living standards, working conditions, and wages for producers, and which have a positive impact on the environment.
From Fairtrade coffee and chocolate to flowers and bananas, we make supporting the people that cultivate our goods an ethical, easy-to-make choice.
What is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is one of the most globally recognized and trusted third-party certification systems. Independent third-party certifiers, known as FLOCERT, audit producers, traders, and companies to check compliance with the economic, social, and environmental Fairtrade Standards.
When you buy products that carry the Fairtrade Mark, you can be sure they have met the highest standards and contribute to supporting farmers and workers in the Global South.
Key benefits of Fairtrade
For over 30 years, Fairtrade has driven social justice by changing trade. Fairtrade producers own 50% of the Fairtrade certification organization meaning these standards, prices, policies, and other important decisions are informed by the people it directly impacts. Purchasing Fairtrade certified products is one way you can make a difference in the lives of the people who grow some of our favourite products - from bananas, coffee, and cacao, to flowers and beyond.
The Fairtrade Minimum Price
Certain Fairtrade products, such as coffee, bananas, and cocoa, are purchased at farm level at a guaranteed Fairtrade Minimum Price that covers the costs of sustainable production and allows producers, workers, and their families to live with dignity.
The Fairtrade Minimum Price acts as a safety net so that even when market prices drop, producers receive at least the Fairtrade Minimum Price.
The Fairtrade Premium
For every product sold, the Fairtrade Premium, an additional sum atop the price paid for the products is attributed to the producer groups. It is then reinvested locally in various projects of their choosing, including improving access to healthcare facilities or clean drinking water, education, or safer, more sustainable farming processes.
Discover Fairtrade products at Sobeys
We’re proud to carry Fairtrade certified products that make a difference in the lives of farmers, workers, and you, our customers.
Click an icon below for more details on Fairtrade Bananas, Coffee, Cocoa, and Flowers
Bananas
Bananas are one of the world’s most exported fruits. While a competitive market and market price fluctuations can put pressure on producers’ livelihoods, the Fairtrade Minimum Price for bananas acts as a safety net. This minimum price refers to the price paid for the bananas at farm level, ensuring that regardless of what’s happening in the economy, sustainable production costs are covered and the producers are paid a fair wage, guaranteeing long-term stability for them and their families. that. Consumers who buy Fairtrade bananas play a key part – the higher the sales, the more the benefits for producers accrue.
Coffee
Around the world, 125 million people depend on coffee for their livelihoods, yet many are unable to earn a reliable living from this beloved and valuable crop. Read on to learn what Fairtrade is doing to change this.
We offer a wide assortment of Compliments Fairtrade coffees, as well as other brands.
Cocoa
Cocoa, or chocolate, is one of the world’s most beloved treats. However, the working conditions of those producing cocoa, mainly grown in West Africa, are less than sweet.Learn how Fairtrade works to curtail child labour, prevent deforestation, and support cacao farmers in the Global South with higher wages and better working conditions.
Check out Fairtrade chocolate like the Compliments Organic Chocolate with Sea Salt, Organic Chocolate with Roasted Almonds or Organic Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs.
Flowers
Flowers do more than add colour to our world and scent our living spaces with delicate fragrances, they are a billion dollar industry providing jobs for many people in the Global South. Fairtrade certified flowers help ensure safe work conditions, improved wages and the prohibition of dangerous pesticides for workers through digital databases.
We are proud to offer Fairtrade flowers in our floral department.
News on Sustainability at Sobeys
When our environment is cared for, future generations will be, too. By doing OurPart™ for the environment, we hope to inspire you to do yours. Every step we take together - big or small - can make a difference.
Click here to read stories on how we’re making sustainability a priority.
