What is "Fair Trade Certified" Chocolate?

By World Vision Canada
Originally Published Version

Fair Trade chocolates are produced in a socially conscious manner, as all Fair Trade products are required to be. Transfair is an independent non-profit agency that certifies Fair Trade products in Canada and United States.

In the case of chocolate, Fair Trade certification means that producers:

• buy directly from farmers or co-operatives that grow the cocoa (the base ingredient for chocolate); and
• pay a price that covers the actual cost of cocoa production.

The Fair Trade system also:

• encourages safer and sustainable cocoa-farming practices that reduce the need for pesticides; and
• provides consumers a trustworthy guarantee that no forced or abusive child labour was used in making the product.

Bitter Facts

1. Most cocoa farmers receive about a penny for a typical $1 chocolate bar.
2. In 2001, the International Labour Organization reported child slavery existed on many cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast, the source of 43 per cent of the world's cocoa.
3. In 2001, after international protest, the world's largest chocolate producers signed the Cocoa Protocol, pledging to make their products slavery free by 2005.
4. Some argue that criticism of the Cocoa Protocol has been validated by the fact that the industry has still not delivered on farm level certification against the worst forms of child labour.
   

Growing Popularity

More Canadians are buying into the Fair Trade ideal. Since 2001, there has been an average annual increase of 55% in sales of Fair Trade Certified products in Canada.

The benefits of buying Fair Trade are significant. These products (which also include coffee, fruits and sugar) help build economic independence and empowerment for certified farmers, bringing them stability and a higher standard of living.

In 2006, the Fair Trade system assisted approximately 1.4 million workers and farmers in 57 developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Not sure where to buy Fair Trade chocolate? Check out TransFair for lists of Canadian retailers selling Fair Trade Certified products in stores and online.

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